Ben Simmons isn’t the only NBA star that could be on the move in the coming months. According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, there are three particular All-Star players who might be involved in blockbuster deals.
The first player that Scotto brought up was Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal. He has stated several times that he’s committed to Washington, but the franchise needs to start winning at a consistent level if it wants to keep him happy.
The other two stars that Scotto mentioned were Chicago Bulls swingman Zach LaVine and Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard.
“Now, when you talk to executives around the league, all eyes are centered on Beal, Damian Lillard, and Zach LaVine as the guys that they’re keeping tabs on for the next potential star who could be moved,” Scotto wrote, via HoopsHype.
LaVine is set to be a free agent after the 2021-22 season, so the Bulls’ record will dictate whether or not the front office wants to entertain trade offers. If they’re competing for a playoff spot, they’ll probably keep LaVine.
As for Lillard, it seems like his days in Portland are numbered. Even if he stays with the team for another season, it seems like he’s slowly running out of patience.
“I think that’s the stage we’re at as a team where we all, not just me, not just my teammates, not just our new coaching staff, the front office, everybody in this organization must look in the mirror because we’ve constantly come up short,” Lillard said in July. “We have to look in the mirror and say I have to be better because whatever it is we’re doing is not working and it’s not giving us the shot to compete on the level that we want to compete on.”
A blockbuster trade involving Lillard would have the potential to change the landscape of the NBA, especially if he ends up in the Eastern Conference.
Which NBA stars do you think will be traded this year?