Both the Philadelphia 76ers and the Portland Trail Blazers are at risk of losing a star this offseason. While James Harden requested a trade out the City of Brotherly Love, Damian Lillard expects to be sent to the Miami Heat.
However, these teams are in very different situations. Even if The Beard gets what he wants, the Sixers still have a competitive team. On the other hand, the Blazers would have to start from scratch without Dame.
Even so, the potential departure of these players is forcing these franchises to look for alternatives. And despite their different needs, it looks like both of them want the same player.
Rumor: Both 76ers, Blazers are going after Zach LaVine
According to Chicago Bulls insider K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago, both Philadelphia and Portland are interested in Zach LaVine, whose future in the Windy City looks uncertain:
“The LaVine trade chatter isn’t going away. In fact, league sources said that LaVine has landed in preliminary conversations with both the Philadelphia 76ers and Portland Trail Blazers, who are working with James Harden and Damian Lillard, respectively, to find them new homes.”
LaVine signed a five-year, $215m deal with the Bulls only a year ago, but the team’s struggles made him a subject of trade rumors since he’s the only player who could let Chicago get something interesting in return. Besides, he also wants to play for a team where he can succeed.
