Portland Trail Blazers Receive: G/F Ben Simmons, F Furkan Korkmaz, F/C Paul Reed, 2024 First-Round Pick, 2026 First-Round Pick
Philadelphia 76ers Receive: G Damian Lillard, G Ben McLemore
This is the trade everyone has been drawing up ever since Ben Simmons and Damian Lillard’s names hit the NBA rumor mill.
The swap makes a ton of sense for the direction each franchise should be going in, as both would get the shake-up they desperately need.
Lillard was struggling a bit before he went down with an injury, but he was still putting up All-Star-caliber numbers at the very least. The 31-year-old was averaging 24.0 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 7.3 assists while shooting 40.2 percent from the field and 32.4 percent from deep.
Simmons has yet to play in a game this season, but last time he was on the court he was second in Defensive Player of the Year voting. Not to mention, he’s an elite playmaker and one of the best fast-break players in the NBA at only 25-years-old.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: This Kings-Sixers Trade Features Ben Simmons, Tobias Harris
Then there are the other two young players being shipped to Portland. Furkan Korkmaz is having a down shooting year, putting up 9.1 points but only shooting 28.9 percent from deep. And Paul Reed, the former G-League MVP, has shown some promise in limited opportunities.
This trade would be all about resetting for the Trail Blazers, obviously. Meanwhile, the Sixers would form one of the best duos in the league with Lillard and Joel Embiid. But past those obvious factors, how does this trade benefit each side?
