At some point, there’s no going back. A situation can be irreversible. The same holds true in the NBA. Sometimes, the relationship between a player and a team is irrevocably damaged.
Is that the case between Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers? In all likelihood, it is. Lillard has requested a trade. There may not be any turning back at this point. On the other hand, perhaps the Blazers could throw a Hail Mary.
Could they look to exploit another vulnerable situation around the NBA? James Harden has made his own trade request. Some have predicted that Joel Embiid could force his way off of the Philadelphia 76ers shortly after. Could the Blazers pair him with Damian Lillard?
The Trade Proposal
Philadelphia 76ers Receive: C Jusuf Nurkic, G Anfernee Simons, G Scoot Henderson, 2026 First-Round Pick (POR), 2028 First-Round Pick (POR)
Portland Trail Blazers Receive: C Joel Embiid
After all, things change quickly in the National Basketball Association. Plenty of folks expected Portland to trade the third overall pick in this draft for some star talent to complement Lillard. in theory, that made sense – but was the right trade available?
The rumors were somewhat uninspiring. Pascal Siakam of the Toronto Raptors was perhaps the most commonly rumored star to be heading to Portland. He’s excellent, but does pairing him with Lillard get Portland into the NBA Finals? Zion Williamson was another option. If he gets injured again, what are the Blazers left with?
NBA TRADES, NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers & Portland Trail Blazers Updates
So, Portland did well to simply draft Henderson. They didn’t have a better alternative. The logical next step is to trade Lillard. Could they really trade Henderson instead?
Why The Portland Trail Blazers Do The Deal
Probably not. We’re in the realm of fantasy here. The odds of the Blazers trading Henderson are very slim. They’re overwhelmingly likely to keep him and build their team around him.
Still…it’s worth considering, isn’t it? Embiid wasn’t available at the time of the draft. Now, he might be. The Blazers were widely expected to shop their pick for a win-now upgrade. If Embiid had been available, they may have worked out a deal. Why change that now?
NBA TRADES, NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers & Portland Trail Blazers Updates
Is Embiid, Lillard, and Jerami Grant a contending core? We think it is. The inside/outside dynamic between Embiid and Lillard could be unguardable. Meanwhile, the Blazers could even still trade Shaedon Sharpe. This would be a bold course of action, but if it’s available, and it changes Lillard’s mind, the Blazers would have to consider it. Would the Sixers?
Why The Philadelphia 76ers Do The Deal
For the Sixers, this depends on a lot of unresolved issues. We know that Harden has requested a trade. Do the Sixers have a plan for replacing him? If not, how will they convince Embiid to stick around?
Let’s assume that they can’t. If not, this is a perfect return. Henderson has limitless potential. This is a prospect with Ja Morant’s athleticism and something resembling Chris Paul’s floor vision. Meanwhile, Anfernee Simons is already a star-level producer. The Sixers would get their rebuild off to quite a start here.
NBA TRADES, NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers & Portland Trail Blazers Updates
They could have reservations. Simons may not be a good fit alongside Tyrese Maxey – the Sixers would have three star guards. They could also get more draft capital for Embiid elsewhere. None of that matters. The Sixers are getting Scoot Henderson. They can’t pass on that opportunity if their relationship with Embiid reaches a point of no return.
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