76ers hire longtime Damian Lillard trainer Phil Beckner as coaching consultant

The Philadelphia 76ers’ latest coaching hire may hardly be a coincidence.

Yaron Weitzman of FOX Sports reported on Wednesday that the Sixers hired Phil Beckner as a coaching consultant. Beckner is the longtime trainer of Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard. He is also a former assistant coach for Weber State University, where Lillard attended college.

We know the Sixers are aggressively pursuing upgrades and are more than willing to part ways with All-Star Ben Simmons. As for Lillard, he has been dogged this offseason by rumors that he may seek a trade from the Blazers.

When it comes to the Beckner hire, one has to think it was a calculated move on the Sixers’ part. After all, they have been hot on Lillard’s trail all summer.