Ben Simmons trade rumors: Kings pull out of trade talks with 76ers, per report
Fri, Jan 28, 2022
NBA News (AP)
Though there have been reports suggesting that the Philadelphia 76ers would prefer to wait until the offseason to trade disgruntled All-Star guard Ben Simmons, that hasn't stopped teams from trying to put a package together to get something done. One of those franchises was the Sacramento Kings, who have been viewed as an "aggressive" team ahead of the deadline. Sacramento had an early interest in trading for Simmons, and the Sixers guard has reportedly expressed in the past that he wouldn't mind playing for the Kings. However, it sounds as though Sacramento is bowing out of the Simmons sweepstakes, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
Per Wojnarowski:
"Inside of two weeks until the Feb. 10 NBA trade deadline, the Kings believe the asking price for Simmons is too steep and that a pathway to a trade agreement with the Sixers doesn't exist, sources said."
This seems to be a common theme for the Sixers in regards to Simmons, which is why he still hasn't been traded yet. The Sixers' asking price for Simmons hasn't changed much since it was reported over the summer that he wanted out of Philadelphia. In exchange for Simmons, the Sixers are asking for an All-Star caliber player, in addition to first-round draft compensation. There were also reports that the team was exploring the possibility of sending out both Simmons and forward Tobias Harris in a deal, though given their sizable contracts, they would likely be sent to two different squads as part of a multi-team trade.
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With the Kings expected to move on to other trades before the deadline, it sounds like the number of suitors for Simmons at this time is dwindling. However, Philly's front office thinks there are still "potential avenues" to trade the guard by the Feb. 10 deadline. But if that doesn't work out, then this never-ending saga will move to the offseason, where teams could be more willing to come up to the Sixers asking price to trade for the two-time All-Defensive player.
