Sixers aggressively pursuing Blazers star Damian Lillard in a trade
The Philadelphia 76ers continue to figure out what they’re going to do to find the right path in their title quest after their second-round elimination in seven games by the Atlanta Hawks.
They do not have a lot of money to play with in free agency and a pick at No. 28 is most likely not going to make a huge impact right away. So the most realistic way to upgrade the roster is through trade.
The biggest fish out there is Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard. The nine-year veteran has reportedly been frustrated with the Blazers not being a legitimate title contender and it is believed he wants out.
Lillard has denied he wants to leave Portland, but that does not mean teams are not going to put a bid in for him. The Sixers have a big asset, their 25-year old star Ben Simmons, as the centerpiece of any potential Lillard deal.
Per Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer, the Sixers have been one of the more aggressive teams in pursuit of the six-time All-Star:
Few team executives expect a Dame deal to happen this offseason. But multiple front-office sources say the Heat, Kings, Knicks, Rockets and Sixers have recently been the most aggressive suitors.
Front-office executives say that if the Blazers eventually move Lillard, they can expect a return rivaling or surpassing what the Nets gave up for James Harden: multiple young players, plus three first-round picks and four first-round pick swaps.
Assuming Lillard wants to go to a legitimate title contender, the Sixers make the most sense for him. A pairing of Lillard and Joel Embiid would vault the Sixers to the top of the Eastern Conference conversation because it would add badly needed shot creation from the perimeter and a go-to guy in the clutch.
This post originally appeared on Sixers Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
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