Damian Lillard Requests Trade From Portland

According to multiple reports superstar point guard Damian Lillard has requested a trade from the Portland Trailblazers. There have been rumblings of the Sixers waiting for this opportunity to become available, and it just now has. The Sixers need to do everything in their power to get Dame to Philadelphia.

While many people do not want to hear this, the asking price is going to start with Tyrese Maxey. Maxey, a fan favorite, is a good young player, but in my opinion, has been overvalued by Sixers fans. The Sixers window to win a championship is right now with Joel Embiid, and unless you believe that once Embiid is gone Maxey can be the lead man on a championship team, he has to be available in a trade. Yesterday there were multiple reports that the Sixers are going to wait to give Maxey a contract. This is noteworthy because if he had gotten the extension, the Sixers would have had a hard time matching his salary in any trade. The hope for Maxey is that best case scenario in a few years he turns into a player of Lillards’ caliber. By that time, and if it even happens, the Sixers’ championship window may be closed. It would hurt, but you have to do it.

Any trade for Lillard would have to be somewhat tied to a James Harden trade because the Sixers have very few draft picks that they can trade. The hope would be that the Sixers can gain some picks in a Harden trade that they can then swing to Portland. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, “The Portland Trailblazers have been informed that Damian Lillard wants a trade specifically to the Eastern Conference Champion Miami Heat”. Unfourntalty when players want to go somewhere, they go. But Adrian Wojnarowski of Espn gives a little hope as he states ” The Heat, Clippers, and 76ers are three teams that will have interest in exploring trades for Lillard… The Blazers are expected to value deals that would bring them back young players and draft assets.”

While as of right now it seems like Miami is the favorite, the Sixers need to put all their chips on the table. This may be their last shot.