Ben Simmons is one of the best point guards in the league when actually on the court. He is a fantastic playmaker and defender. There’s no doubt that he is a player that most teams would love to have on their team.
The Sacramento Kings were one of the teams that were interested in Ben Simmons. There were even talks between the two teams about a potential De’Aaron Fox – Ben Simmons swap. However, it seems as though the Sacramento Kings have officially pulled out of discussions. Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN has revealed that the Kings think that the “asking price is too steep”.
The Sacramento Kings — one of the most aggressive teams in the trade market and once an eager suitor for Philadelphia’s Ben Simmons — have ended their pursuit of a deal with the 76ers and turned elsewhere in trade talks, sources told ESPN on Friday.
Inside of two weeks until the Feb. 10 NBA trade deadline, the Kings believe the asking price is too steep and that a pathway to a trade agreement with the Sixers doesn’t exist, sources said.
The Kings, who have lost five straight and sit 13th in the Western Conference, are determined to reshape their roster and remain engaged on other fronts, sources said.
The Kings’ roster represented one of the Sixers’ best options for a Simmons deal ahead of the trade deadline. Losing them in the marketplace somewhat diminishes the chances of an in-season trade, although the Sixers still believe there are potential avenues to a deal, sources said.
With the Kings exiting talks and sources saying the Brooklyn Nets will not engage on a James Harden trade, it becomes increasingly possible that 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey will be willing to advance the Simmons discussions into the offseason.
It remains to be seen if any team does indeed trade for Ben Simmons. However, it seems as though part of the reason that the trade talks have failed is due to the 76ers having exorbitant expectations about the kind of return they want for the 3-time All-Star.
Hopefully, we see Ben Simmons eventually get traded, so we can see him play basketball this season. He is a joy to watch on the court, and there’s no doubt that he is player that can help a team as a difference-maker.
