It has been weeks now since the end of Philly’s season, but it seems the Sixers are still no closer to trading Ben Simmons. And despite the star guard himself having told the franchise he wants out, their value for him remains unbelievably high.
For a while, the Sacramento Kings were one of the few teams willing to join the pursuit, but it seems even they have tapped out after conversations with the 76ers.
Ben Simmons won’t be in a Sacramento Kings jersey anytime soon — if ever — unless the Philadelphia 76ers’ asking price goes down dramatically.
Even BetMGM has them handicapped as the third-most likely team to land the 25-year-old three-time NBA All-Star whose days in Philadelphia are numbered.
According to a source with knowledge of their situation, the Kings spoke to the Sixers weeks ago and made it clear that neither De’Aaron Fox nor Tyrese Haliburton would be included in a possible Simmons deal. That stance, the source said, has not and will not change and the internal expectation is that the core of their roster will remain the same heading into training camp later this month. There are no current conversations between the two teams and, barring a drastic change in demands, it appears the Kings are an unlikely landing spot for Simmons.
The idea of joining young star De’Aaron Fox with Simmons is very intriguing, and it could be a duo capable of making some real noise.
Unfortunately, the Kings just aren’t willing to meet Philly’s demands (whatever they are), and it’s unlikely that Simmons ever wears a Sacramento jersey. The team will, no doubt, be looking elsewhere in their pursuit of talent as they seek to take the next step in the Western Conference.
As for Ben, his future remains uncertain. While his days as a Sixer are no doubt numbered, he will probably remain on the roster for a while unless the front office lowers their asking price. They seem determined to get the best package possible.
Needless to say, it’s a waiting game at this point and nobody knows how it will end.
