Sixers Rumors: Lillard, Trades, Simmons, Niang, Petrusev

PHILADELPHIA — The Sixers continue to eye Damian Lillard and the front office is hoping that the point guard finally requests a trade now that he is home from his Olympic run in Tokyo, as Derek Bodner of The Athletic relays.

Lillard had expressed a desire to see Portland make moves toward contending for a title and the organization hasn’t really made headlines with their offseason transactions. The Blazers signed Tony Snell, Cody Zeller, and Ben McLemore while watching Carmelo Anthony leave in free agency. Portland did retain Norman Powell, who came to the franchise at the 2021 trade deadline.

More From Philadelphia

• The Kings still have interest in Ben Simmons and Sacramento is motivated to make a trade, as the franchise is looking to win now, Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee hears.
  
• Georges Niang‘s deal with the Sixers officially came in at $6.765 million over two years, according to Spotrac’s Keith Smith. Both years are fully guaranteed.
  
• The Sixers are likely to keep second-round pick Filip Petrusev abroad as a draft-and-stash prospect, though the 21-year-old is eager to play with the NBA franchise. “My intentions would be obviously to come over as soon as possible,” Petrusev said (via Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer). “But it’s not up to me.”