Most NBA teams have been quite busy this offseason. We have seen some pretty amazing trades go down in free agency. But there is only one thing that fans are yet to see, Ben Simmons leaving the Philadelphia 76ers.
Simmons’ actions have made it quite clear that the 3x All-Star wants to leave the organization. Over the last few weeks, many potential destinations have emerged, like the Dallas Mavericks, Minnesota Timberwolves, and now the Portland Trail Blazers.
The Blazers have relied on Damian Lillard to carry the team to victory for more than half a decade. But there is only so much that a single player can do. It’s probably time for the organization to bring in another superstar caliber player to the roster.
In order to do so, it would require them to send their second-best player, CJ McCollum. While McCollum has been quite amazing in his stint with Portland, he might not be the perfect player to pair with Lillard.
Former NBA coach of the year Sam Mitchell talked about this potential trade on SiriusXM NBA Radio.
“If you can get CJ McCollum for Ben Simmons, I’d do that in a heartbeat,” said Sam. “Since the day he walked into the NBA out of college, he’s been a productive player… Think about what people think of CJ McCollum. The players elected him president of the players’ association.”
Multiple reports suggest the Philadelphia 76ers will not trade Ben Simmons to Portland unless it’s for Damian Lillard.
But @SamMitchellNBA tells @hoopscritic why C.J. McCollum would be a phenomenal get for Philadelphia #HereTheyCome pic.twitter.com/rpCE2c8S99
— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) August 28, 2021
McCollum has spent his entire career with the Blazers and has developed a great skill set during that time. However, it might be time for the franchise to blow up this backcourt.
If McCollum is replaced by Simmons, it will improve the team’s defense by far. Lillard can handle the shooting duties, while Simmons takes the role of the facilitator for the team.
Considering how the other teams in the conference have developed this offseason, the move makes perfect sense for the Blazers if they want to stay in contention.
They need to improve their roster fast or they will be stuck in mediocrity for a long time. Do you think this trade will go down in the coming days or weeks? Let us know your views in the comments section below.
