It’s already been more than two months now since All-Star guards Damian Lillard and James Harden requested trades from their respective teams.
Lillard had been the subject of trade rumors for several years before his request to be dealt by the Portland Trail Blazers. Harden passed on the chance to enter free agency and opted into his $35.6 million player option for 2023-24, hoping it would help the Philadelphia 76ers facilitate a trade.
With the NBA regular season just over a month away, it remains to be seen if Lillard and/or Harden will be dealt before the campaign begins. What if the 76ers and Trail Blazers work on a trade together to accommodate both stars?
ESPN’s Bobby Marks proposed four trade ideas involving Lillard. One of his suggestions? A three-team trade that also involves the Los Angeles Clippers.
Marks proposal has the 76ers getting Lillard, Terance Mann, Robert Covington and Norman Powell, with the Clippers getting Harden and Tobias Harris from Philadelphia. As for Portland, they would get Tyrese Maxey, Jaden Springer, Furkan Korkmaz, Amir Coffee, Nicolas Batum, Marcus Morris Sr. plus 2028 and 2030 first-round picks:
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On paper, this proposal makes good sense for all three clubs. The 76ers and Clippers, two teams in win-now mode, would both land future Hall of Famers to help them compete for a championship.
As for the rebuilding Trail Blazers would be getting valuable assets from two teams, thus maximizing a potential return for Lillard.
