It’s been a dramatic offseason for the Philadelphia 76ers, even if they haven’t made any substantive moves. They signed Patrick Beverley to a one-year deal, while three depth pieces in Georges Niang, Shake Milton, and Jalen McDaniels walked out the door.
The real story in Philadelphia has been the James Harden trade saga, which has dominated headlines as Harden unexpectedly opted into his player option with the intention of being traded. overshadowing that trade request is another: Damian Lillard asking out of Portland.
While Philadelphia needs to unravel the Harden situation, they are also considering the possibility of a Lillard trade. Is that something the team could pull off?
Could the 76ers actually trade for Damian Lillard?
The Portland Trail Blazers have stated publicly that they aren’t just going to trade Lillard to the Miami Heat simply because that’s where he wants to go; they are going to canvass the league for the best possible offers for Lillard and decide from there.
With that window open, there is a realistic avenue for the 76ers to trade for Lillard. It would be a bold move, and it wouldn’t solve the James Harden situation off the bat, but it would give the Sixers a pair of Top-10 players to make a run at a title.
There are major obstacles to such a deal, from Philly’s lack of draft capital to the question of Tyrese Maxey, a player without a fit in Portland, and a lot of fans on the 76ers. How would Daryl Morey get past those hurdles? Let’s lay out a deal to thread the needle and land another star in the City of Brotherly Love.