Ben Simmons likes report of Damian Lillard wanting to play with him

Interestingly, after the rumors of Lillard wanting to play with Simmons spread like wildfire online, the Australian guard caught win of the development and showed his interest in it. While the 25-year-old didn’t directly address it, he did “like” a post on Bleacher Report Instagram discussing the news.
Source: Angelo Guinhawa @ Clutch Points

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Sam Vecenie @Sam_Vecenie
The Blazers have now lost 6 out of 7. Damian Lillard seems not particularly pleased, and they just fired their GM.
Watch/Listen to @Danny Leroux and I talk about the mess that is the Blazers:
Trade fixes? youtube.com/watch?v=lHOEuA…
Olshey Firing/Defense: youtube.com/watch?v=48eXI-… – 1:15 AM

Sean Highkin @highkin
Dennis Smith Jr. has had a good few games with Dame and Simons out. – 11:44 PM

John Hollinger @johnhollinger
With Lillard, McCollum and Simons all out, C.J. Elleby is getting some run as the Blazers’ **point guard**
It’s going about how you imagined. – 10:45 PM

Michael Lee @MrMichaelLee
If the 76ers let this season ride out without trading Ben Simmons for someone who can help Joel Embiid win right now, it should be considered organizational malpractice. PHI has to do all that it can to avoid letting some stalemate result in them squandering these dominant years. – 9:59 PM

Aaron J. Fentress @AaronJFentress
The Blazers will be without Damian Lillard, CJ McCollum, Anfernee Simons and Nassir Little tonight against the Clippers. – 9:31 PM

Adi Joseph @AdiJoseph
A hypothetical trade for a hypothetical world:
Ben Simmons
for
Terry Rozier, P.J. Washington and Mason Plumlee
The Hornets get to build off a super-exciting trio of Simmons, Ball and Bridges. The 76ers immediately plug their three biggest needs and can seriously contend. – 8:44 PM

Jay Allen @PDXjay
Damian Lillard (abdominal tendinopathy–injury management) is out tonight against the Clippers, but he is going through a pregame warmup here at Moda Center. Getting some threes up at the moment. – 8:27 PM

Mirjam Swanson @MirjamSwanson
Billups: “We’re hoping CJ plays, but right now we’re not sure.” Also notes, it’s hard playing with Dame and Ant, who both will be out. – 8:24 PM

Ira Winderman @IraHeatBeat
From earlier — ASK IRA: Would/could Heat enter a Damian Lillard derby? sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-h… – 5:16 PM

Kevin O’Connor @KevinOConnorNBA
A trade package built around CJ McCollum for Ben Simmons makes perfect sense for the Trail Blazers: pic.twitter.com/3oAUycSy7M – 5:01 PM

Sean Highkin @highkin
Ownership isn’t signing off on a Dame trade. They’re already getting killed on ticket sales as it is. You do that, you might as well just move the team to Seattle. – 2:45 PM

Ben Rohrbach @brohrbach
The Portland Paradox: Trade CJ McCollum now or risk losing Damian Lillard soon. For @The Vertical: sports.yahoo.com/the-portland-p… – 2:45 PM

Kyle Neubeck @KyleNeubeck
so, some thoughts on the Lillard/Simmons/McCollum stuff from this morning phillyvoice.com/nba-trade-rumo… – 2:37 PM

Matthew Tynan @Matthew_Tynan
Spurs have gotten some big breaks on this road trip, with Dame missing the game in Portland and Booker being out tonight in Phoenix. Doesn’t take away from what they’ve done, though. A sign of progress is beating the teams that are down. Tonight another test in that capacity. – 2:33 PM

Sirius XM NBA @SiriusXMNBA
According to reports, Damian Lillard wants to play with Ben Simmons in Portland.
Former #Blazers Forward @Bonzi Wells tells @Grady & @Howard Beck why they could succeed together #RipCity pic.twitter.com/TNumWZEhIs – 2:00 PM

Sirius XM NBA @SiriusXMNBA
Tensions are reportedly rising in Portland with Damian Lillard and players frustrated.

@Frank Isola & @Brian Scalabrine are not blaming new Head Coach Chauncey Billups for the struggles #RipCity pic.twitter.com/MEIjc9O0MX – 12:34 PM

Ira Winderman @IraHeatBeat
ASK IRA: Would/could the Heat enter a Damian Lillard derby? sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-h… – 11:31 AM

Dwight Jaynes @dwightjaynes
All you people pleading for Ben Simmons better not be complaining about his shooting two weeks after he arrives — if such a deal is made. – 11:22 AM

Eurohoops @Eurohoopsnet
Damian Lillard would like to play alongside Ben Simmons #NBA
eurohoops.net/en/nba-news/12… – 11:11 AM

Kurt Helin @basketballtalk
Report: Lillard wants to play with Simmons, changes to Trail Blazers roster nba.nbcsports.com/2021/12/06/rep… – 11:07 AM

Sam Amick @sam_amick
Neil Olshey is out, but the struggling Trail Blazers still have a Damian Lillard dilemma that will determine their uncertain future. The latest in this superstar situation, with @Shams Charania, at @TheAthletic
https://t.co/k2wNvUl0Kj pic.twitter.com/p9p56Xld6f – 9:32 AM

Sopan Deb @SopanDeb
What?? Lillard literally told the outlet that published this that he wanted Billups as head coach.
https://t.co/p0p8p4wwDh pic.twitter.com/6m9SGHEpxn – 9:31 AM

Ky Carlin @Ky_Carlin
C.J. McCollum obviously isn’t Damian Lillard, but 20.6 points on 39.3% 3-point shooting on 8.2 attempts per game isn’t bad either. The guy is a proven scorer in this league. – 9:27 AM

Quinton Mayo @RealQuintonMayo
The similarities in Dame/Brad career paths is scary, man. – 9:21 AM

Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Personal opinion:
C.J. McCollum, a first-round pick and Nassir Little or Anfernee Simons is more than enough in trade for Ben Simmons.
Philadelphia can’t overplay their hand here. That’s a good package and vaults them near the top of the East. – 9:21 AM

Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
A couple of years ago I was working on an article about NBA Trade Machines (got squashed). I asked people from different sites about the most popular teams used, players & the most popular combinations of trades.
Easily most used was some version of Ben Simmons for CJ McCollum. – 9:15 AM

Trey Kerby @treykerby
Thursday: “There’s something fishy going on with Lillard in Portland.”
Friday: “They should fire Neil Olshey and trade CJ McCollum today.”
Also Friday: Olshey fired.
Monday: Lillard would like to play with Ben Simmons.
Subscribe to @NoDunksInc: youtube.com/c/nodunksinc – 9:13 AM

Shams Charania @ShamsCharania
Inside Portland’s firing of longtime GM Neil Olshey and what comes next with the Trail Blazers and franchise cornerstone Damian Lillard — at @TheAthletic with @Sam Amick: theathletic.com/2999270/2021/1… – 9:01 AM

Tom Ziller @teamziller
The next Blazers GM really can’t be content with tinkering around the main three players, nor should they be. Put Nurkic and McCollum out there or eventually Dame might put HIMSELF on the table. ziller.substack.com/p/tinkering-is… – 8:32 AM

Ira Winderman @IraHeatBeat
Would/could Heat enter a Damian Lillard derby? Latest “Ask Ira” at sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-h… plus more. – 8:12 AM

More on this storyline

Goorjian hopes Simmons finds a new home to help him flourish again and stressed that the Aussie had full support from the Boomers camp moving forward. “I just hope right now he finds a team, finds a place where he’s comfortable and gets on with his career,” he said. “I said to him: ‘We’re here for you. You’ve had some situations at Philly with your teammates, with the coach, with the organisation. You come here; we’ll welcome you with open arms. I think you’re going to love the environment, it’s your call.’” -via FOXSports.com / December 7, 2021

Lillard intends to give the Trail Blazers organization time to find its next leader of basketball operations. But beyond the front office component, the face of the franchise still wants significant changes to the roster. Multiple sources have told The Athletic that Lillard would like to play with Philadelphia 76ers three-time All-Star Ben Simmons. The Trail Blazers’ league-worst defense would instantly improve, and sharing a backcourt with a non-shooter could work given Lillard’s high-volume usage. -via The Athletic / December 6, 2021

Sources say the Trail Blazers, under Olshey, discussed the framework of a trade for Simmons, moving CJ McCollum, a first-round draft pick and a young player such as Nassir Little or Anfernee Simons to Philadelphia. The 76ers, sources said, at one point asked the Trail Blazers for McCollum and multiple draft picks and multiple draft swaps, which Portland rejected. Olshey maintained significant confidence in the roster he constructed. Now, it’s unclear if there’s a deal to be had with the 76ers. But with Olshey out, who among chair Jody Allen, vice chair Bert Kolde and Cronin would be the one making the call on a Simmons trade or any acquisition designed to alleviate Lillard’s concerns? -via The Athletic / December 6, 2021