NBA Trades: One Ben Simmons trade for every NBA team

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PORTLAND, OREGON – NOVEMBER 15: CJ McCollum #3 of the Portland Trail Blazers celebrates after making a three-point basket against the Toronto Raptors during the fourth quarter at Moda Center on November 15, 2021 in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) /

NBA Trades: One Ben Simmons trade for every NBA team – Portland Trail Blazers

This has been the trade we have all been waiting for since Simmons opted to pass the ball at the rim against the Atlanta Hawks. The Sixers are holding out for the move to be Damian Lillard, but McCollum would provide a reasonable facsimile of the player they are hoping to bring in. He also makes roughly $10 million less per season, opening flexibility for the team.

McCollum was on track to make his first All-Star appearance last season before an injury early in the year sidetracked things. He is a 39.8 percent career shooter from distance on high volume.

He does not have the clutch resume that Lillard has put together, but some of that is since they share a backcourt. The ball will always come to Lillard in those moments, but with a change of scenery, it could be time for McCollum to create his own legacy.

For Portland, this is the perfect move to commit to Lillard for the future. Simmons would be the type of player Lillard has wanted to add for a while (the Draymond Green mold). Restructuring the team around one of the 75 greatest players in the history of the league would be brilliant.

The biggest issue right now is one of the biggest in the league – the man who is currently making the decisions for Portland.