Could Sixers be Damian Lillard’s Mystery Suitor?

The Sixers reportedly had an interest in Damian Lillard before. Are they getting in the market for the Trail Blazers' guard again?

The Damian Lillard trade rumors are heating up once again. With training camp around the corner, it appears the Portland Trail Blazers are beginning to take calls after a long period of silence.

We all know the Miami Heat’s interest in landing Lillard is high — and the star guard’s interest in heading to South Beach is up there as well — but the Blazers and the Heat have struggled to see eye to eye in negotiations this summer.

While Miami remains the favorite to land Lillard at this time, other teams are reportedly keeping their eye on the situation over in Portland. And according to NBA Insider Marc Spears, there is a mystery team looking to get involved.

Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard getting ready for a matchup against the 76ers.  / USA Today

What Do We Know?

Per Spears, the Blazers “have been talking to several teams.” Whether the talks are sparked by Portland or the interested suitors is unclear, though.

When Lillard made his initial trade request in July, three teams were immediately linked to the All-Star guard.

• Miami Heat

• Brooklyn Nets

• Philadelphia 76ers

In addition, the Boston Celtics have been rumored to have an interest in Lillard before the trade request was official, but the Blazers’ superstar shot down the notion of wanting to play in Boston for the foreseeable future.

Spears mentioned this week that he has “kind of” been hearing rumors about another Eastern Conference team that he won’t reveal “just yet.”

Could the Sixers be the Mystery Team?

Unless it’s been forgotten that the Sixers have already had their turn at being a Damian Lillard suitor, it’s difficult to assume that’s the organization Spears is referring to.

Recently, ESPN’s Bobby Marks created a few mock trade scenarios that could work for Portland and help them finally resolve their situation with Lillard. 

Including the Sixers in the exercise, Marks’ three-team trade framework had the Sixers shipping out several players, including Furkan Korkmaz, Jaden Springer, James Harden, Tobias Harris, and Tyrese Maxey.

In the past, everybody was made aware of Maxey’s trade status and informed that the young guard is viewed as a cornerstone player for the Sixers’ franchise and is currently in untouchable territory. Marks reports that remains the case, even for Lillard, who is a proven All-Star with seven nods on his resume.

Unless the Sixers suddenly changed their minds about Maxey, the mystery team that’s generating more buzz in the rumor mill is likely one of Philadelphia’s direct competitors.

Guess Who?

An obvious guess would be the New York Knicks, who have been linked to Damian Lillard in past times. Just last summer, the Knicks were in the market for a star guard and attempted to acquire Donovan Mitchell from the Utah Jazz before the Cleveland Cavaliers swooped in and snagged him.

While the Knicks’ interest in James Harden was short-lived this offseason, it proved they are still keeping an eye out for a star ball-handler. It wouldn’t come as a shock if they were making calls for Lillard to see if there is a chance he could go to the Big Apple.

If I had to toss out another mystery team, I’d go with the Chicago Bulls. Two years ago, the Bulls made some big moves to improve their roster and became one of the East’s playoff contenders after four years of missing the playoffs.

Unfortunately, Chicago had bad luck on the injury front in their backcourt, as Lonzo Ball suffered a significant knee injury. It seems the Bulls don’t anticipate having Ball around once again for the 2023-2024 season, which puts the Bulls in a tough position.

Chicago still has talent, with notable names like DeMar DeRozan, Nikola Vucevic, and Zach LaVine. Lacking a star ball-handler, the Bulls could use a guy like Lillard after missing the playoffs for the fifth time in six seasons last year. It might take a lot for Chicago to make such a deal, but I wouldn’t be totally shocked if they are considered a mystery suitor in the Lillard sweepstakes.