NBA Trade Rumors: Philadelphia 76ers will pivot to targeting 6-time All-Star if a move for James Harden doesn’t work out

The Philadelphia 76ers have reportedly set their eyes on James Harden as part of a trade deal with Ben Simmons and have even planned for contingencies if that deal doesn't come to fruition.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the 76ers have already listed alternatives if a trade for Harden doesn't materialize. Charania said:

"It’s unclear how he sees the prospect of playing in Philadelphia – or with (Joel) Embiid – but all indications are that the Sixers truly believe they have a chance of landing him. If they can’t land Harden, of course, they’ll continue pursuing the likes of Portland’s Damian Lillard, Washington’s Bradley Beal or Boston’s Jaylen Brown."

The occurrence of the deal is interesting since Harden is only available in the summer, but a deal for someone like Damian Lillard could be struck now if Portland is willing to accept Simmons. The same case applies to Bradley Beal of the Washington Wizards as well as Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics.

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Should the Philadelphia 76ers make a trade for Damian Lillard?

Damian Lillard against the LA Lakers

The acquisition of Damian Lillard would exponentially improve the Philadelphia 76ers and would upgrade their status from being contenders to favorites for the championship. That's how good Lillard is. If the 76ers put two MVP-caliber players together, then they are in all likelihood going to the NBA Finals.

One of the primary reasons the 76ers are keen to move on from Simmons is because of his lack of shooting from beyond the arc. Lillard is a bona fide threat from range, earning the moniker "Logo Lillard."

Barring his shooting struggles this season, Lillard has not shot below 36% from the perimeter since the 2014-15 season. Lillard is a also career 89.3% shooter from the line, another aspect where Simmons is deficient. That is something that affected the 76ers in the postseason last year.

The only criticism of Lillard's career, however, has been his defensive limitations. With Lillard's size and frame, Philadelphia will be getting a below-average defender. That could pose a problem to a team that has built its philosophy around defense, ranked 11th in the league in defensive ratings.

But given his marksmanship, Lillard is arguably the best closer in the league right now, and that is something the 76ers are desperately lacking. His ability to take over games in the biggest moments has been well documented. Given his high basketball IQ and great ballhandling skills, it makes sense for Philadelphia to make a move for him.