This four-team trade proposal would shake up the NBA.
We are one month away from the start of the 2023-24 season and Damian Lillard and James Harden have still not been traded. Lillard has requested a trade from the Portland Trail Blazers, while Harden has requested a trade from the Philadelphia 76ers.
Lillard wants the Blazers to trade him to the Miami Heat and Harden wants the Sixers to send him to the Los Angeles Clippers. However, neither Lillard nor Harden are close to landing with their preferred team based on recent reports.
With that said, we have come up with a wild, four-team blockbuster trade proposal that would certainly shake up the NBA.
Portland Trail Blazers Receive: James Harden, Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Nikola Jovic
Miami Heat Receive: Damian Lillard, Jusuf Nurkic
Philadelphia 76ers Receive: Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan
Chicago Bulls Receive: Tobias Harris, Duncan Robinson, Caleb Martin, Keon Johnson
Not only does this four-team trade proposal work under CBA rules, but it also helps the Blazers, Heat, Sixers, and Chicago Bulls in different aspects, both in the short and long term.
The Portland Trail Blazers Acquire One Superstar, One Budding All-Star
Everyone thinks the Blazers want to rebuild after trading Damian Lillard. However, what if they decide to contend? In our proposal, Portland acquires James Harden, one of the greatest scorers and playmakers in NBA history, and Tyler Herro, an electric scorer who is only 23.
In 58 games for the Sixers last season, Harden averaged 21.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 10.7 assists while shooting 44.1% from the field, 38.5% from 3, and 86.7% from the free-throw line. He led the NBA in assists per game for the second time in his career.
Meanwhile, Herro averaged 20.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.2 assists last season for the Heat while shooting 43.9% from the floor, 37.8% from beyond the arc and 93.4% from the free-throw line.
The Blazers could start Harden, Anfernee Simons, Tyler Herro, Jerami Grant, and Nikola Jovic if this trade went through. That’s a talented starting lineup Portland head coach Chauncey Billups could run with.
The Miami Heat At Long Last Get Their Third Superstar
Damian Lillard is close friends with Heat center Bam Adebayo and believes he can win a championship playing alongside Jimmy Butler and Adebayo. Miami is 0-2 in the NBA Finals in the Butler-Adebayo era. Lillard could be the missing piece to a fourth title in South Beach.
Lillard averaged 32.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 7.3 assists last season for the Blazers. He will make $46.6 million next season. Lillard signed a two-year, $121.8 million extension with Portland in July 2022.
“Lillard is attracted to the Heat because the reigning Eastern Conference champions have title potential and have two stars in Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo whom he wants to team with, sources have said,” Marc J. Spears of ESPN wrote. “Additionally, the work ethic and discipline that come with the renowned ‘Heat culture,’ and the lack of a state tax in Florida and greater marketing potential, are also of interest to Lillard, according to sources.”
The Heat could start Lillard, Josh Richardson, Butler, Adebayo, and Jusuf Nurkic if this deal went through. Nurkic isn’t a superstar like Lillard, but he did average 13.3 points and 9.1 rebounds last season while shooting 51.9% from the field, 36.1% from beyond the arc and 66.1% from the free-throw line.
Miami lost to the Denver Nuggets in the 2023 NBA Finals. If the Heat acquire Lillard and Nurkic, they could be overwhelming title favorites next season.
The Philadelphia 76ers Get Joel Embiid Two Stars
Zach LaVine has appeared in 348 games with the Bulls. He’s averaging 24.5 points with Chicago and has made two All-Star teams. However, the Bulls have won only one playoff game since acquiring LaVine from the Minnesota Timberwolves in the summer of 2017 in the blockbuster Jimmy Butler trade.
The 28-year-old LaVine averaged 24.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists for the Bulls in 2022-23. He will make $40 million next season. Chicago missed the playoffs last season after making it in 2022, which is why some NBA execs thought the franchise would rebuild this offseason.
The Bulls have checked the temperature on LaVine’s trade market throughout the offseason, according to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, so the Sixers should try to acquire him. LaVine signed a five-year, $215.2 million deal with the Bulls in July 2022.
Meanwhile, in 74 games last season for the Bulls, DeRozan averaged 24.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 5.1 assists while shooting 50.4% from the field and 87.2% from the free-throw line. The Compton native was 13th in the NBA in total points and 17th in points per game, once again proving that he doesn’t need to shoot or make 3-pointers to score.
The Sixers could start Tyrese Maxey, LaVine, DeRozan, PJ Tucker, and Joel Embiid if this trade went through. Philadelphia has never gotten past the second round of the playoffs in the Embiid era. This trade would give Embiid his best chance to win a championship and add to his already spectacular résumé.
In 394 regular-season games with the Sixers, Embiid is averaging 27.2 points and 11.2 rebounds. He has made six All-Star teams, five All-NBA teams, and three All-Defensive teams and won one MVP Award.
The Chicago Bulls Get A Massive Expiring Contract To Set Up Their Future
We aren’t the only ones who believe the Bulls should rebuild and use Tobias Harris to help. Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report thinks Chicago could use Harris’ expiring contract. Harris signed a five-year, $180 million contract with the Sixers in July 2019. He’ll make $39.3 million next season, the final year of his contract.
“Getting out from under a long-term contract like Zach LaVine’s (which runs through 2026-27) could kickstart such a reboot,” Bailey wrote. “And a team like the Philadelphia 76ers, who might convince themselves they’re one piece away, could use LaVine’s explosiveness. A trade involving him and Tobias Harris (whose deal ends in 2024) might make some sense.”
The Bulls need to rebuild. They are not going to win with Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan since Lonzo Ball may never play again and Nikola Vucevic is getting older. Chicago should move on from LaVine and DeRozan and acquire Harris (for his expiring contract), Duncan Robinson (for his shooting ability and potential trade value), Caleb Martin (for his defense and team-friendly contract) and Keon Johnson (for a young player to build around).
This Four-Team Trade Proposal Would Cause Major NBA Shockwaves
This four-team trade proposal would cause major shockwaves. After all, it’s not often four All-Stars (Damian Lillard, James Harden, Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan) get traded in the same deal and two All-Stars (LaVine, DeRozan) get moved to the same team.
Since this trade is eligible to be made under CBA rules, the front offices of the Blazers, Bulls, Sixers, and Heat should consider calling each other and discussing this wild proposal. It’s time for the Sixers and Blazers to trade Harden and Lillard, and in this proposal, both teams get incredible value in return.
Unfortunately, the odds of this trade happening are very, very low. However, you can never say never in the NBA.
