“I'd have to imagine that Joe Cronin is right now getting messages from the Philadelphia 76ers” - Trevor Lane believes a Damian Lillard - Ben Simmons trade could be in play with the firing of Portland GM Neil Olshey

With Portland Trail Blazer general manager Neil Olshey officially fired from the front office, NBA analyst Trevor Lane believes the Ben Simmons news could heat up again. The Philadelphia 76ers president of basketball operations, Daryl Morley, has been adamant in replacing Simmons with another All-Star, which could be Damian Lillard.

Trevor Lane covers the Los Angeles Lakers for lakernation.com, but also has a YouTube show that covers the NBA as a whole. While recording his recent episode, the news about the firing of Olshey broke, and he began to talk about the show.

At the 23rd-minute mark of his show, Lane said:

“I'd have to imagine that Joe Cronin is right now getting messages from the Philadelphia 76ers. Because they are monitoring that situation very closely, that is the deal they want if they will move Ben Simmons. They want Damian Lillard. That is not me saying that is going to happen, but I imagine the 76ers are monitoring this situation very closely.”

Throughout the entire Ben Simmons off-season drama, the Portland Trail Blazers have seemed like the best trading partner. It makes a lot of sense, and the Blazers have two highly paid and skilled guards who could be paired up with Joel Embiid.

The Blazers would also get a multiple-time All-Star looking for a fresh start with a new team.

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Who wins in a Ben Simmons for Damian Lillard trade?

Philadelphia 76ers Ben Simmons goes up for a lay-up.

Ben Simmons has yet to play in the 2021-22 NBA season, as he is holding out amidst a slew of injuries and mental health issues. Simmons requested a trade this off-season, reportedly saying he does not want to play for the 76ers ever again.

Meanwhile, the Portland Trail Blazers are off to a slow 11-12 record, with Damian Lillard struggling, averaging 21.5 points per game. Lillard has averaged more than 25 points over the last six seasons. Moreover, the Blazers have one of the worst defensive ratings in the NBA, 112.5, the 28th-best in the league this season.

Ben Simmons would solve some of the issues for the Blazers. Simmons came in second in the Defensive Player of the Year award last season. He is also a two-time All-Defensive member and the 2019-20 steal champion. Simmons’s career defensive rating is 105, lower than any Blazer player, over 100 minutes.

The issue is that the Portland Trail Blazers may not want to move off of their All-Star Lillard, who has been a fixture in their roster since he was a rookie in 2012. The 76ers would need to add some pieces with Simmons to make the trade a little more enticing, but it would likely end up fair.

A new general manager might want to shake things up. Maybe Lillard isn’t the one to move, but it could end up being CJ McCollum. McCollum has become an excellent outside scorer, averaging over 20 points in six straight seasons. A straight-up swap for Simmons could work for both teams.

Ben Simmons will likely never play for the 76ers again, and the Blazers seem like a perfect trade partner. Whether Lillard or McCullum, it should be a well-balanced trade, with both sides getting what they want.