Philadelphia 76ers: Is a Ben Simmons for CJ McCollum swap inevitable?

Is CJ McCollum the best possible player that the Philadelphia 76ers could land in exchange for Ben Simmons?

The Philadelphia 76ers have not been very active thus far in the offseason but there is one big shoe that has yet to drop for the team. And that involves the team trading Ben Simmons, who appears to be done with the Sixers.

Although, one of the biggest reasons why he hasn’t been traded yet is due to the fact that the Sixers are asking for a lot in exchange for the all-star. And rightfully so, it’s not every day that a 25-year-old all-star becomes available via the trade market.

Even though an argument can be made that Simmons’ trade value is at an all-time low, he’s still one of the best young players in the league. All he might need is a fresh start and a change of scenery to jumpstart his career.

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Nevertheless, looking around the league, it’s hard to pinpoint a team that has what the Sixers are reportedly looking for in a trade. It was reported that the Sixers want a bevy of picks and an all-star (subscription required) in exchange for Simmons.

When looking across the landscape of the league, there’s really one team that makes a ton of sense for Simmons and the Sixers – the Portland Trail Blazers. And the biggest reason why is because the Sixers could use a player like CJ McCollum and the Blazers could use a roster facelift that would include Simmons.

Damian Lillard would be happy with Portland making an effort to change the look of the team and McCollum is exactly the level and talent at the guard position that Philadelphia is missing. Even though the Sixers would be eyeing Lillard in any deal with the Blazers, perhaps the realistic target should be McCollum.

A Simmons for McCollum swap shouldn’t be off the table for the Philadelphia 76ers

Even though Philadelphia would likely be turned off by a simple McCollum (and picks) swap for Simmons, it’s probably the one realistic option that is on the table for the Sixers. And that could be a big reason why the Blazers haven’t made many moves thus far in the offseason.

Either way, it’s something to keep an eye on as we inch closer and closer to the regular season.

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The Sixers may be looking for a big blockbuster trade in which they will get a superstar in return for Simmons, but simply doesn’t seem realistic at this point. Nevertheless, McCollum could be a great consolation prize. And it could help the Sixers win a championship next season.