With the news that Damian Lillard may not be content in Portland coming out over the weekend, speculation about the point guard heading elsewhere continues to swirl and Philadelphia has been among the most frequently mentioned destinations in regard to a potential trade. Yet, is there truly a realistic path for the Sixers to land Lillard?
Figuring out what players want to do has always been complex to predict. Hearing rumblings in the media can mean a multitude of things. Is it a leverage play? Was there an incident that there’s no coming back from? Did a player simply air out his concerns and the wrong person got word of the venting? Plenty of people curse out their employer on Friday night only to show up for work on Monday.
Lillard’s situation is no different from Bradley Beal‘s in Washington in that Damian is not going to make a rash decision. Here’s what I wrote about Beal back in January when rumors of Beal being frustrated surfaced and speculation of a trade request persisted:
For the average man (or woman), think about moving to a new city, taking a new job, or deciding where to go to college. There’s a multitude of variables that must be considered and making a firm decision, while not always final, can be really sticky to back out of. For Beal to take a major step like requesting a trade from the only franchise he’s ever known, it isn’t going to come from a place of emotion but rather a thought-out process. This is a major life decision.
Lillard isn’t going to abruptly lash out and request a trade; if it happens, it’ll come as part of an orchestrated strategy. The recent Chris Haynes article indicating that the Blazers organization may be inadvertently pushing Lillard out of Portland could be seen as a nugget of news from Lillard’s camp designed to get the ball rolling.
Let’s assume that Lillard wants out: what are the dynamics? Given all he’s done for the Blazers’ franchise and his status in the league, it would seem likely that the organization doesn’t send him anywhere he doesn’t want to go. No, he doesn’t possess a no-trade clause, but the NBA is about relationships and an ugly split with one of your best stars is the kind of blood-on-your-hands moments that can haunt smaller market franchises down the line. Lillard will get a say in his future if he makes the decision to force his way out.
Could the Sixers be part of that? Certainly. With Joel Embiid ascending into MVP-candidate status, they’ll continue to be legit title-contenders, and as far as trade packages, one that includes Ben Simmons still trumps many offers, including the Pelicans’ dangling of Brandon Ingram.
“You’ll find that most GMs would still prefer Simmons over that and what else is reasonably available,” a former assistant GM tells FortyEightMinutes when asked about the Pelicans’ reported package and the market landscape in trading for a star.
While Philadelphia still has the chips to make a big play for Lillard (or another star) and this summer would seemingly be the ideal time to break up the Simmons-Embiid pairing, it’ll take the right situation to usher in a new star duo into the Wells Fargo Arena next season.
With Lillard, it’ll take him putting the Sixers on some sort of informal shortlist for suitors should he force his way out of Portland. We’re not there yet; we may never get there but be assured that with Daryl Morey heading operations in Philadelphia, the team will do what it takes to give itself a shot at it—however unlikely it may be—even if that means remaining flexible as the other situations play themselves out. Good executives know that patience is a competitive advantage and both the Blazers and Sixers have reasons to wait out their respective situations. Without a catalyst for urgency (such as a Lillard trade request), it’s unlikely we see the trade that brings the 6-time All-NBA point guard to the City of Brotherly Love this offseason. Although, if Lillard truly wants out, few franchises are in as desirable of a position as the Sixers to make something happen.
