Source: Kings move on from Ben Simmons trade talks with 76ers to focus on other pursuits
.jpg "Philadelphia 76ers’ Ben Simmons in action during an NBA basketball game against the Sacramento Kings, Friday, March 15, 2019, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)")
Kings general manager Monte McNair spent nearly six months in talks with the Philadelphia 76ers in hopes of bringing Ben Simmons to Sacramento, but now McNair is moving on.
The Kings have ended their chase for the three-time All-Star to focus on other pursuits with less than two weeks remaining before the Feb. 10 NBA trade deadline, sources told The Sacramento Bee, confirming a report from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The news comes as the Kings arrive in Philadelphia to play the 76ers on Saturday night at Wells Fargo Center.
McNair has a longstanding relationship with 76ers president Daryl Morey due to their time together with the Houston Rockets, but they haven’t been able to reach a deal for Simmons. Sources said Philadelphia’s asking price remains too high, but the Kings are expected to stay aggressive in trade talks with an organizational belief that the current state of affairs in Sacramento is unacceptable.
The Kings (18-32) entered the season with hopes of ending the franchise’s record-tying 15-year playoff drought, but they have lost five in a row and 10 of 12 to fall 14 games under .500. They are 13th in the Western Conference, three games out of the final play-in spot.
The Kings have been one of the most active teams in the trade market and they continue to engage on other fronts, sources said. They have been linked to other top targets, including Indiana Pacers center Domantas Sabonis and Detroit Pistons forward Jerami Grant.
The Kings have signaled their desire to continue building around De’Aaron Fox and Tyrese Haliburton, but Buddy Hield, Harrison Barnes, Marvin Bagley III and Richaun Holmes could all be subject to trade discussions in the days to come.
The Bee confirmed the Kings had strong interest in Simmons dating back to mid-July, a short time after he demanded a trade amid the fallout from Philadelphia’s loss to the Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Months of discussions ensued with reports, rumors and speculation around Fox, Haliburton, Hield, Barnes, Bagley and 76ers forward Tobias Harris.
Morey discussed the Simmons saga last week on “The Anthony Gargano Show” on 97.5 The Fanatic in Philadelphia. Morey specifically mentioned the Kings as a potential trade partner, saying he saw the possibility of a deal with Sacramento.
“I can tell you that, for sure, there are deals with the Sacramento Kings that I think would work,” Morey said. “Will those deals ever happen? I have no idea. Are there just trade deals with the Kings? Probably not. Is it multiple teams? Probably, but for sure there are deals that are possible that would go over our line.”
Morey said the 76ers hope to find a new home for Simmons before Feb. 10, but he conceded it was not likely to happen. Morey continues to seek a large return for Simmons despite hinting the 76ers might be willing to lower their asking price to build a championship team around Joel Embiid, who is averaging 28.9 points and 10.7 rebounds.
“I do think with how great Joel is, our line has moved down a little bit because Joel has lifted us into contention by his sheer will of greatness this year,” Morey said. “That does push the number of deals that we would do, more likely, if that makes any sense.”
TNT analyst Charles Barkley said the 76ers must play Simmons or trade him if they want to be “true contenders” for the NBA championship. Simmons has not appeared in a game this season while waiting for the team to accommodate his trade request.
Barkley discussed the situation in Philadelphia on Thursday on “Inside the NBA” after Embiid was named a starter in the All-Star Game. The 76ers have won 13 of 16 with Embiid playing at an MVP level. They are tied for fourth in the Eastern Conference, two games behind the Miami Heat for the No. 1 seed.
“It doesn’t matter,” said Barkley, a Hall of Famer who played for the 76ers from 1985-1992. “Not if they don’t have Ben Simmons it don’t. Not if they don’t make a trade. They can have the No. 1 seed. They’re not going to win a championship until they handle the Simmons situation. There’s nobody in their right mind — and you know I root for the Sixers and the Suns, my two teams — there’s nobody, there’s not one guy on TV going to tell you right now the Sixers are the team to beat in the East no matter where they finish.”
This story was originally published January 28, 2022 at 12:44 PM.
