Breaking Down the Latest on Damian Lillard From 76ers’ Perspective
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The NBA social media world was ready for the Damian Lillard saga to see its conclusion on Friday. As talks surrounding the subject were heating up, scattered Philadelphia 76ers fans were hopeful that a Lillard trade could cause an immediate domino effect and allow the Sixers to kick the tires on a James Harden trade.
Friday came and went — and no real progression took place on either trade front. Lillard is still a member of the Portland Trail Blazers, and James Harden is still employed by the Sixers.
Although Lillard hasn’t been moved quite yet, it does seem Portland is more motivated than ever to make something happen. In the past, the Blazers seemed more hesitant to trade away the guy who’s been their franchise player for the last decade and might’ve hoped he would have a change of heart.
Now, it’s being reported that the Blazers have unofficial trade date in place, and could get Lillard a new home before the Blazers show up for media day and training camp early next month.
On Friday, Jake Fischer at Yahoo Sports detailed the state of the Lillard saga. Below, we’ll break down some of the key factors that stand out from a 76ers’ perspective.
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The Latest on James Harden
Harden’s situation with the Sixers was briefly discussed. To no surprise, it was once again reported that Harden had hopes of being moved to the Clippers nearly three months after his initial trade request.
Meanwhile, the Sixers stand firm on their stance as well.
“Philadelphia staffers, meanwhile, can still talk themselves into the idea of Harden reporting to camp, playing for a title hopeful and, therefore, playing his way into the trade value the Sixers require to relinquish the All-Star. How realistic is that? Well, Harden has already claimed that he’ll never be part of an organization that Philadelphia president Daryl Morey is a part of.”
Unless the state of the Harden saga sees a dramatic shift over the next week, the Sixers are unlikely to strike a deal before the team starts preparing for the 2023-2024 season at training camp.
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Where Could Lillard Land?
The most shocking development of the Lillard saga is the fact that the Miami Heat haven’t had any recent dialogue with the Blazers. Yet, trade talks have been loud lately.
The NBA’s worst-kept secret is the fact that Lillard has a strong desire to play for Miami. The fact that it’s the Toronto Raptors and the Chicago Bulls battling for his services at the moment makes it seem as if the Heat could miss out on their opportunity to add a star piece after falling just short of a successful championship run.
However, don’t count the Heat out. According to Fischer, the Heat are expected to get involved again. Typically, disgruntled All-Stars tend to get their way in terms of desired location. While the Blazers made it known that they will prioritize their own needs over Lillard’s wants, I’ve seen this movie too many times not to consider the Heat the favorites to land the star guard still.
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What’s Going on With Raptors Stars?
With the Raptors getting involved in recent trade discussions centered around another NBA star, it raises questions about their core players such as Scottie Barnes and Pascal Siakam.
According to the report, Barnes remains Toronto’s “franchise focal point.” And while Siakam has popped up in trade rumors all over in the past, he’s “unlikely” to land in Portland. The Raptors lost a key contributor in free agency when Fred VanVleet declined his player option and signed with the Houston Rockets.
I wouldn’t count out a Siakam trade later on down the line, but it seems Toronto isn’t likely to move any of their remaining core pieces from the Nick Nurse era at the moment. Barnes might be the type of player that would move the needle for Portland in a Lillard trade, so I find it difficult to believe the Raptors are close to getting the Portland star to Canada at this time.