With less than two weeks to go until the NBA’s 2022 trade deadline, the Kings have ended their pursuit of Sixers star Ben Simmons and have shifted their focus to other trade targets, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
Sacramento has long been considered one of the most realistic destinations for Simmons due to a combination of the Kings’ assets, roster construction, and a desire to shake up their squad in the midst of another disappointing season. However, according to Wojnarowski, the Kings believe Philadelphia’s asking price for Simmons is too high and that there’s no viable path to a deal.
One report last week suggested Simmons was “front and center” in Sacramento’s deadline plans, while another stated that the Kings might be willing to offer Tyrese Haliburton, Buddy Hield, Harrison Barnes, and two future first-round picks in exchange for Simmons, Tobias Harris, and Matisse Thybulle. However, there was a belief that even that package wouldn’t be enough for Philadelphia.
Subsequent reporting indicated the Kings want to build their roster around Haliburton and De’Aaron Fox and weren’t interested in taking back Harris in a Simmons deal, which significantly diminished their odds of putting together an offer Philadelphia would accept. The 76ers, led by president of basketball operations Daryl Morey, have said for months that they want a star player in return in return for Simmons and aren’t inclined to accept a package of role players and draft picks.
With Simmons no longer in their sights and no apparent desire to move Haliburton or Fox, the Kings will continue to shop players like Buddy Hield, Harrison Barnes, Marvin Bagley III, Tristan Thompson, and Richaun Holmes as they look to reshape their roster. Sacramento entered the season with playoff aspirations, but currently has an 18-32 record and ranks 13th in the West.
Sources tell Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee (Twitter link) that the belief within the organization is that the current state of affairs is “unacceptable,” so Sacramento is expected to remain active and aggressive in trade discussions leading up to February 10. The Kings have been linked recently to the Pacers’ two centers (Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner), as well as Pistons forward Jerami Grant.
The Sixers, meanwhile, seem increasingly willing to extend their standoff with Simmons into the offseason, as we’ve written multiple times today alone.
According to Wojnarowski, Philadelphia still believes a deal could be made in the next two weeks, but the club also thinks a wider range of options could be available in the offseason, including perhaps stars like James Harden and/or Bradley Beal.
Other words 76ers GM still wants a lopsided trade. Kings have the assets for a trade but again 76er GM blew it. A couple of players like Fox and Barnes could make the 76ers the favorites out of the east.
Im sorry but fox and barnes does not make the sixers better than a healthy heat or nets team
I’m sorry, but it’s not the Kings or any other teams responsibility to make the Sixers a contender. Simmons is worth what he’s worth. And thats clearly not a star level player. Philadelphia is FOOLISH for letting this trade chip sit for so long. They have acted with arrogance and borderline negligence with respect to their outrageous trade demands. Morey hasn’t negotiated in good faith ever since Ben requested a trade. The entire organization needs to be TRASHED with regards to their handling of this entire Ben Simmons drama, from start to where we are now. Morey has been acting like a whiny baby with his demands, and it’s just ridiculous at this point. Admit you lost, Daryl, and move on!
Yo the kings are 20 out 16 below 500 they need Simmons and the Sixers more than the Sixers need a overpaid gunner in heild,a overpaid role player in Barnes and a not proven anything yet player in haliburton.
I’m pretty sure they’d contribute more than Ben Simmons has.
I agree. Daryl Moreys stubborness will come back to bite him and this organization in the tail.
Friend Simmons rebounding, playmaking, elite defense think 1-5, and ability to put up 40 on any given night. Oh I forgot controlled and 25 for 4 more years ar a reasonable 35 million . Oh I forgot all defense, all star, the kings are a sorry lot,going nowhere. Simmons and Harris to kings for haliburton, Barnes,Heild and picks was a steal for kings.Happy my Sixers walked away.
Well said, people seem to have forgotten how good Ben is(FT & 3pt exempt). Kings should have jumped at it.
I don’t think Fox, who isn’t a good 3pt shooter and gets most of his points driving the rim would fit with Embiid sat in the paint anyway. 76ers may have dodged a bullet. But Morey is still making a mistake not getting what he can before the deadline. Possibly something with the Pels or Rockets whom both have good assets for move but aren’t that worried about competing to lose their best players.
You also forgot Ben Kardashian hasn’t played basketball in almost a year, looked like garbage the last time he did, and is currently throwing a temper tantrum.
Don’t forget, got thrown under the bus by his own coach and team. No argument he’s just as bad but Doc and the FO are just as liable for this whole situation. No one is innocent.
I agree he’s a prima but who in the NBA isn’t? He’s still worth more than what’s offered.
Doc isnt liable. Ben failed to deliver and Doc has no responsibility to stroke Ben’s ego.
Doc is a terrible man manager coach. He bottled with the clips, tried to blame PG saying he couldn’t do it in LA. The after benching Simmons every possession in the last Mins of the last few games as if saying”I don’t trust you kid” putting all the spotlight on him. Then to say after the game “do you think you can win a chip with Simmons” “I don’t know, I really don’t”. What kinda coach says things like that, and treats a player like that? Doc is a bad coach. But he isnt to blame for Simmons attitude. I just want to state the obvious that he is poor.
Sitting out an entire season of your prime because your coach hurt your feelings is a little more than being a prima donna, even by NBA standards.
Taking a year off? Hmmmmmm I remember him missing his first and being all star and all defense the next. Step to the line friend.
You forgot his averages for this season. 0 minutes played.
Fox and Barnes couldn’t make Temple University in Philadelphia the favorites in the NCAA, let alone an NBA team favorites to win a championship.
76ers may be able to force an extend and trade this off-season with Harden and the Nets. Imagine the Kings offering Fox and Barnes for Harden this off-season. If Embiid is cool with it then just wait it out.
Barnes is solid, but paid market value, Fox is overpaid and hasn’t proven he’s actually an overall positive on the court to warrant that pay.
If they offered Fox or Halliburton and a first and the Sixers turned them down, just fire Morey now before he destroys the whole organization in service of his ego.
From all the quotes from inside the kings org i read, neither Fox nor Halliburton were offered.
I’m assuming kings wanted to part with other non A-potential pieces like Mitchell, Barnes, Bagley.
Sure that’s useful, but certainly doesn’t move the dial for Sixers.
They are 2 games out of first. When has a sports team ever fired a coach/gm in the middle of a first place season?
The Cavs
Destroy???? Unloads a odorous horford contract, steals curry,drafts maxey, signs Drummond, niang. Shall I go on? Always standing behind morey.
Steals Curry? You mean Curry finally figured it out. I don’t blame him. Living up to Pops, and Big Bro, is probably tough. He is with his 8th team.
For Josh Richardson, Moray robbed Dallas.
Couldn’t have said it better myself oj
Kings should just end their pursuit of being an NBA franchise.
Slander
There is only one star who is as effed up as Simmons and his name rhymes with shmyrie. So that is the “star” trade market for Simmons.
Philly might as well trade for Sabonis and Brogdon or Levert. Pacers would prob take back Tobias
Sabonis,Levert, and a future pick for Simmons
Sabonis alone should be more enough for Simmons but Sabonis doesn’t really fit with Embiid.
Ridiculous
By continuing to sit out and pout Simmons is killing any chance of being traded. Teams don’t know what they’re getting at this point. Is he in shape? Is he keeping his skills sharp? Teams aren’t going to give up much value for a complete wild card. Not to mention that IF Simmons actually has mental health issues who knows if and when he decides to quit on his next team.
To be clear – I don’t think Philly/Morey have handled this much better but I don’t blame them for not wanting to give Simmons away.
Deserved or not, he is a mental tinderbox so it is buyer beware. So demanding a reliable star to be traded for an unreliable star seems a big ask unless Philly adds worthwhile pieces not the other way around.
Let’s not forget that Simmons and his representation claimed mental health concerns when the fines started adding up—yet now we hear Simmons is still being fined again and … no public comment from player or rep?
It seems like that should be a big deal if a team is fining a player for missing time with a legitimate mental illness. Yet no one seems to be coming to Simmons’ aid here?
So then the question is begged—did he try and fake a serious mental illness to avoid playing basketball? Seems like that might be a concern for a team potentially giving up good players for the right to pay Simmons the max for three years
But that also means they are punishing this player. Thanks for pointing that out. He is being held holstage in front of everyone. Thanks for being so righteous, you reveal the truth!
The kings roster is pretty much trash. Good move passing on the deal
They’ve got two players that are more valuable than Ben Simmons, so there’s that.
Lol
Hawks and Pacers don’t want Tobias Harris contract
How about Blazers?
Blazers can offer McCollum and Covington for Harris and Green
Teams are hitting Morey with the “my offer is this: nothing.”
Outside world don’t understand how to match The orginal asking price for Ben Simmons
1 All star starter and
Wiseman
Kuminga
Moody
Warriors two future Firsts
76ers view Simmons as huge asset
Kings are not able to match the price
In turn of events Simmons goes to Brooklyn Nets and Harden heads to 76ers
Who cares what the original ask was? If that was even close to in play this deal would’ve been done a long time ago. If Morey is content wasting Joel’s prime that’s his business–nobody is going out of their way to bail him out of his own mess. Simmons was damaged goods before the holdout and now that’s even more true.
Stupid trade. The Warriors want to Win, not Tank. Why do you want to gut the team?
That is what 76ers wanted from the warriors for Simmons and GSW GM laughed and laughed at them. They probably could have had Wiggins, Kuminga, and Moody for Simmons but greed by 76ers blew that trade. As a warrior fan I am happy 76er GM over priced himself out of the market.
Simmons is not a huge asset to Philly therefore teams can wait and see how much damage that the 76ers can absorb before they flinch. Once Embiid gets disgruntled it may be too late to even save the team. Getting rid of Rivers may be the only way to salvage the situation.
Morey was incompetent in Houston and continues this trend with Philly. In Houston he cash strapped them, did not resign their top defenders from their deep run (Ariza, Luc Mbah a Moute) and then got rid of their only defensive-player-center-lob threat-to-Harden-dimes leaving the team with a 6’7″ center. Finally, when this formula didn’t work (which was obvious it wouldn’t), he jumped ship. The fact that Philly broke his fall is telling of the IQ of this franchise. Morey has no vision and has squandered an entire season of Embid dominance for his own ego. He wants to make the biggest splash to prove he is the one who will make the Larry trophy happen. Grind Doc n staff, grind Embiid. All without a player who was your only capable PG and SF. The result won’t be a title and now that they’ve waited so long they have lost leverage as other teams see their title hopes in the balance. Even if they pull off a deal at the dealine there will only be 18 games left for staff to make it work. I’d love to candidly hear Doc’s take on Morey’s decision making abilities. The shiny wrapping on all of this that has been ignored is that the problem of Ben Simmons is of their own doing. They created him. How? By not developing him. It is no secret that every player that plays the perimeter does not last in the NBA or have success it they can’t shoot. It is unsustainable to tolerate a range broken player. You can watch the tape – teams that play Philly with Ben in the lineup never need to send a player outside the paint to guard him. And yet the team has rewarded him with 35mpg and no discipline for not even trying to shoot for FOUR YEARS. They have failed Ben Simmons and Philly fans. Embiid is a miracle because he got better. He must have a secret trainer in the off season. Every player from the Process had potential yet Philly never figured out (maybe even for 30 years plus) how to develop a player. Draftee agents have got to be telling kids not to go there as they’ll never improve, and never get paid. The young players from the last couple of years that had promise have already plateaued. Why hasn’t Thybulle’s offence improved? Years will pass and Milton, Korkmaz, Thybulle and Maxey will always be the same and have the same deficiencies. Doc is not a player developer and never will be. He’s a motivator and communicator. It only goes so far. I wish Philly well, but their lack of understanding in the top offices (yes you too Elton) will continue to cripple them with bad decisions.
Have to wonder what his incentive is. He’s got money. He’ll be “Morey” around the league unless he actively screws up, which he avoids by not making an actual decision re: Simmons. And if Philly loses again it will be “Ben’s fault”, not his, and he’ll easily use this plausible deniability to get a job w a new team.
In a way, he’s playing “to not lose” rather than to win. Which everyone knows is the way to win championships…
* Think article meant Fox not Hali as that wouldn’t match w Tobias inc
Sneaky feeling they could get Beal or Morey just waits for potentially Dame or Harden but Id be livid if I was a Philly fan and they did nothing before 2-10-
This package that gets Tobias off and nets Fox Buddy Barnes + is a solid deal. They get so fluid for later and even future cap for free agency very soon.
It was reported as Haliburton — the assumption was that they’d also need to throw in Bagley or Thompson to salary-match.
Destroy???? Unloads a odorous horford contract, steals curry,drafts maxey, signs Drummond, niang. Shall I go on? Always standing behind morey.
Please, go on. Because that’s literally all he’s done.
#FreeBenSimmons
“Sixers no longer taking their calls” Same thing as saying I’m no longer interested in Rhianna. She wasn’t interested in me.
Never understood why they were so interested in the first place. A prima donna like Simmons would have been miserable in Sacramento.
One thing here is clear ……… all of Ben Simmons’ mental health issues will miraculously disappear once he gets traded to a new team.