The Philadelphia 76ers were eliminated in the Eastern Conference Semifinals by the Atlanta Hawks. Now, there is substantial concern about the long-term viability of the current configuration of the roster around Joel Embiid…starting with his co-star, Ben Simmons. The spotlight is shining on them in NBA trade rumors as a result.
According to The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor, there is a ‘consensus’ around the NBA that 76ers President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey resisted trading for Kyle Lowry since he’s ‘angling’ for an ‘even greater star’ like Damian Lillard or Bradley Beal.
“Opinions differ on Philadelphia’s decision not to pursue Lowry harder, but there is a consensus around the league that Morey resisted because he’s angling for an even greater star. He’s thinking about stars like Damian Lillard or Bradley Beal becoming available. CJ McCollum or Zach LaVine could also appeal to Philadelphia if they are put on the table.”
It’s difficult to envision the 76ers having the necessary assets to pull off a trade for a player of Damian Lillard’s caliber, or even Bradley Beal or Zach LaVine, for that matter. A trade package with the Portland Trail Blazers centered around CJ McCollum could be genuinely plausible when considering they need to bolster themselves defensively.
A trade for CJ McCollum would go a long way for the 76ers in improving the shot creation and general half-court offensive capabilities of their team. There are concerns with how the defense would decline, but without a lead shot creator, there’s only so much that can be done offensively.
READ MORE: NBA Rumors: This 76ers-Blazers trade swaps CJ McCollum, Ben Simmons
There’s justifiable reason to question whether CJ McCollum truly is the right option for the 76ers since he hasn’t shouldered the No. 1 role. If Philadelphia does feel as though he can get the job done, that could be the best ‘sell-low’ option for Simmons.
Keep an eye out on the latest NBA trade rumors throughout the offseason. One of the top names will certainly be Ben Simmons after the underwhelming performance he put together in this year’s playoffs.
