Damian Lillard and Ben Simmons have been linked frequently over the past year.
Because of Lillard’s much-publicized issues with the Portland Trail Blazers and the Philadelphia 76ers’ ongoing war with Simmons, a trade involving the pair would logically make a lot of sense.
Adding more fuel to the fire has been the Sixers’ apparent desire to make that very deal happen, only for Portland to resist it.
All of this chatter about the two men has led to one obvious question: how do they feel about each other?
During a recent interview with NBA Reddit, Lillard touched a bit on his honest perception of Simmons.
Dame is still answering your questions on r/nba! See his response on the current top 3 perimeter defenders in the NBA. https://t.co/0ocYR50Xy3 pic.twitter.com/vgw5mTq3tn
— /r/NBA (@NBA_Reddit) December 3, 2021
According to Lillard, Simmons along with Jrue Holiday of the Milwaukee Bucks and Lu Dort of the Oklahoma City Thunder are three of the absolute best perimeter defenders in the NBA right now.
Clearly the respect between Lillard and Simmons is immense. And given that it is becoming increasingly likely that if a trade for both happens, it will involve them being swapped for one another, that respect certainly adds another layer of complexity to this entire dynamic.
Brittany Renner reveals what Colin Kaepernick made her do. https://t.co/Ynujeu5kzi
— Game 7 (@game7__) December 4, 2021
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Charles Kruger has been credentialed to cover two Super Bowls, four NBA Finals, and one World Series. A 20-year veteran in the sports world, he has sources spanning the NBA, MLB, NFL, UFC and NASCAR. Currently residing in Los Angeles, Calif., he is Game 7’s go-to source for rumors surrounding the Lakers, Clippers and Dodgers.
