In the past months, rumors have been continuously swirling around All-Star point Ben Simmons and his future with the Philadelphia 76ers. After being blamed for their failure to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals last season, Simmons had expressed his desire to leave the Sixers and start a new journey somewhere else.However, despite being aware of their star's unhappiness with the team, Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey has made it clear to everyone in the league that they won't trade Simmons just for the sake of getting him out the City of Brotherly Love. To convince them to engage in a blockbuster deal, interested teams would have to offer a trade package that includes an All-Star caliber player who would complement Joel Embiid on the court.Damian Lillard & Bradley Beal Form Superteam With Joel EmbiidWith their top trade targets - Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard and Washington Wizards shooting guard Bradley Beal - still not available on the trade market, there's a strong chance that the Sixers would wait until the 2021 NBA offseason to find Simmons a new home. Recently, Dave Early of SB Nation's Liberty Ballers and Jeremy Cohen of Knicks Film Room talked about a crazy blockbuster trade idea that would enable the Sixers to acquire both Lillard and Beal in the summer of 2022.Proposed Four-Team TradeThe suggested deal that would send Lillard and Beal to the City of Brotherly Love would involve four teams. These include the Sixers, Trail Blazers, Wizards, and the Oklahoma City Thunder."Might also be able to pull it off as one humongous four-team trade this summer Sixers get Dame and Beal, Blazers get Ben, Thunder get Tobi (and requisite sweeteners), Wizards get something like (OKC’s) Derrick Favors, Seth Curry, maybe Maxey and requisite sweeteners to top the market, match the salary, and avoid a Sixers’ hard-cap," Cohen said.Sixers Elevate Status In The EastThe successful acquisition of Lillard and Beal this summer would undoubtedly change the Sixers' fate next season. From being an average playoff contender, pairing Embiid with Lillard and Beal would enable the Sixers to form a superteam that could make them the team to fear in the Eastern Conference. Lillard and Beal would give the Sixers an explosive backcourt duo that could rival Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors and Kyrie Irving and James Harden of the Brooklyn Nets.Is The Proposed Four-Team Trade A Real Possibility?As of now, the Trail Blazers and the Wizards haven't shown any indication that they are planning to move Lillard and Beal. Also, both superstars have said on numerous occasions that they intend to spend their entire careers with their respective teams. The only way that the proposed four-team deal could turn into a reality is if Lillard and Beal demand a trade in the 2022 NBA offseason.Lillard and Beal may remain happy with their current teams but if they suffer a huge disappointment in the 2021-22 NBA season, there remains a possibility for them to follow in the footsteps of other superstars and start finding their way out of Portland and Washington.
In the past months, rumors have been continuously swirling around All-Star point Ben Simmons and his future with the Philadelphia 76ers. After being blamed for their failure to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals last season, Simmons had expressed his desire to leave the Sixers and start a new journey somewhere else.However, despite being aware of their star's unhappiness with the team, Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey has made it clear to everyone in the league that they won't trade Simmons just for the sake of getting him out the City of Brotherly Love. To convince them to engage in a blockbuster deal, interested teams would have to offer a trade package that includes an All-Star caliber player who would complement Joel Embiid on the court.Damian Lillard & Bradley Beal Form Superteam With Joel EmbiidWith their top trade targets - Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard and Washington Wizards shooting guard Bradley Beal - still not available on the trade market, there's a strong chance that the Sixers would wait until the 2021 NBA offseason to find Simmons a new home. Recently, Dave Early of SB Nation's Liberty Ballers and Jeremy Cohen of Knicks Film Room talked about a crazy blockbuster trade idea that would enable the Sixers to acquire both Lillard and Beal in the summer of 2022.Proposed Four-Team TradeThe suggested deal that would send Lillard and Beal to the City of Brotherly Love would involve four teams. These include the Sixers, Trail Blazers, Wizards, and the Oklahoma City Thunder."Might also be able to pull it off as one humongous four-team trade this summer Sixers get Dame and Beal, Blazers get Ben, Thunder get Tobi (and requisite sweeteners), Wizards get something like (OKC’s) Derrick Favors, Seth Curry, maybe Maxey and requisite sweeteners to top the market, match the salary, and avoid a Sixers’ hard-cap," Cohen said.Sixers Elevate Status In The EastThe successful acquisition of Lillard and Beal this summer would undoubtedly change the Sixers' fate next season. From being an average playoff contender, pairing Embiid with Lillard and Beal would enable the Sixers to form a superteam that could make them the team to fear in the Eastern Conference. Lillard and Beal would give the Sixers an explosive backcourt duo that could rival Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors and Kyrie Irving and James Harden of the Brooklyn Nets.Is The Proposed Four-Team Trade A Real Possibility?As of now, the Trail Blazers and the Wizards haven't shown any indication that they are planning to move Lillard and Beal. Also, both superstars have said on numerous occasions that they intend to spend their entire careers with their respective teams. The only way that the proposed four-team deal could turn into a reality is if Lillard and Beal demand a trade in the 2022 NBA offseason.Lillard and Beal may remain happy with their current teams but if they suffer a huge disappointment in the 2021-22 NBA season, there remains a possibility for them to follow in the footsteps of other superstars and start finding their way out of Portland and Washington.
