The Sacramento Kings are unlikely to acquire Ben Simmons, according a report from The Athletic’s Sam Amick. According to Amick, the price tag that Philadephia is asking for is simply too high:
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 not 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.
Amick also notes that the two sides haven’t spoken about Simmons in weeks.
To me, this reeks of public negotiation. The Sixers want everyone to know that they would require Haliburton or Fox be included in the deal, and they ABSOLUTELY WON’T BACK DOWN ON THAT.
And the Kings want everyone to know that they would never include Haliburton or Fox in the deal, and they ABSOLUTELY WON’T BACK DOWN ON THAT.
And while we all know that Amick is as reliable as they come, he can only report what he’s being told. This isn’t a critique of him. I just can’t get over the silliness of saying that the teams haven’t spoken about this in weeks.
NBA front offices talk constantly. There is, in my mind, zero chance that neither side has revisited this discussion. Even if it’s as simple as “you ready to include Haliburton? No? Ok, talk to you later”, I have to believe that there are still conversations between Morey and McNair considering their pre-existing relationship.
The Simmons trade negotiations are a game of chicken right now. Both sides are going to tell everyone that they won’t blink. .
History tells us somebody eventually will.
Simmons is damaged goods right now, especially mentally. Everyone in the league is aware of it. Sixers are not getting a haul, unless Vivek blinks and orders 4 first rounders to go out the door. Of course, with Vivek, that just might happen.
Vivek is still trying to figure why he cannot trade Bagley straight up for…..well anything.
Simmons doesn’t seem like a Vivek kind of player, so whatever chance there is of him interfering, I don’t see it for a guy who can’t shoot.
I’d imagine it is more likely the other way around; where Monte would consider trading Fox for Ben, but Vivek told him that Fox is off limits.
I remember people shitting all over Paul George when he had a really bad time in the bubble. He bounced back nicely, I’d say.
Pro athletes are almost like ordinary people, they have better stretches and rougher stretches.
In situations like this, I usually trust oddsmakers. The Kings odds of landing Simmons improved almost everywhere in the last 24-48 which I don’t believe is an accident. Do I actually think a deal will get done? Probably not because we’re the Kings and these things never actually work out. That said, I do think Rich Paul is crazy enough to actually hold Simmons out of training camp and if that happens, I’m willing to bet this thing will be over soon after.
Yeah, it’s hard to go against the oddsmakers. Something is up.


I’m Vivek Ranadive, bitch.
For Bagley and a protected 2nd, I hope you’re right.
The whole league will remain patient. Sixers are asking too much. And they’re the ones who are to blame for the fire sale in the first place. I’d like to see Simmons in a Kings uniform, but agree with holding firm against sending Fox/Halliburton.
I don’t see any way this gets done without Fox or Haliburton, so there is no wink on Philly’s part IMO
It would take them valuing Mitchell/Buddy/Barnes and a series of our picks. As a Mitchell fan I would not like it
And how are Fox/Hali/Simmons supposed to fit? The spacing with Fox/Simmons/Holmes..
I’ll take Amick at his word. Talks seem dead
I like Amick, but unlike oddsmakers, his livelihood isn’t predicated on being right.
If Monte waits this out and gets Simmons for Buddy, Bagley, and a first, I’ll happily call him McGenius from now on. More likely though, Simmons goes to SA or Min, they pass us in the standings, and kick our ass for the next ten years.
Also, does “spoken” include texts and emails?
You may be right. Simmons is likely to find his way West, which will only hurt the Kings more in the standings unless he’s wearing purple and white.
If he’s heading to teams who have long been above the Kings in the standings, it doesn’t really hurt them any more than it did without Simmons.
And all the pressure is on Philly. They expect to contend for a championship. Kings are not even expected to make the play in. I’m just so glad Vlade is not making the decisions now. He’d trade Fox, Hali and 4 firsts.
If Vlade was still here. There’ll be no Hali… lol
This is exactly right. It’s the Sixers with the most urgent problem, and until they acknowledge it, this becomes more acute with every passing day.
With Fox & Haliburton, as much as I like both of them, no one is untouchable. Still, if one or the other goes out, presumably with Hield or Barnes, then Maxey will also need to come back, at minimum.
The league isn’t buying what Morey is selling, and that’s his problem. There’s a lot of time left, and someone may crack, but the longer this goes on, the better the deal will be for whichever team jumps in. If that’s the Kings, then so be it.
Time is running short for Morey…………….
Make the deal with us ASAP !!!!!!!!!!!
<Hield + Bagley + Picks <-> Ben SImmons >
Come on Morey, you can sell this to your fan base…
“Today, we traded that irreparable malcontent who single-handedly cost us a championship for the second best three point shooter in the league, an elite athlete who was picked ahead of Luka and Trae and is finally ready to break out, and a lottery pick in next year’s especially strong draft. It pays to have a former apprentice you can fleece out there. Let’s go!”
Love this.
I loved this too.
Though the middle part also made me weep.
I just don’t think Morey wants picks since they’re in win now mode. I feel like Buddy + barnes + davion for Simmons and maxey is a decent deal. They can have bagley (if they want)
They might relent and take picks if there’s a rebuilding or fringe team they could reroute them to with talent they want, like Beal or Lillard at the deadline.
I’m starting to believe that package wouldn’t get it done. If the Kings would like to get Simmons and if there’s a chance Morey would consider trading Simmons without getting Fox or Hali, I’m guessing the deal would be Buddy, Barnes, Davis, 1st and 2nd round picks for Simmons and Maxey
Good points Greg. I can see the Kings waiting the Sixers out.
For those with an Athletic subscription, I highly suggest Derek Bodner’s piece about all of this. It’s extremely revealing to me that the Kings aren’t mentioned whatsoever but Minnesota is. The most revealing thing I thought from Bodner’s piece was regarding Tyrese Maxey and how Rich Paul might have done something really dumb w/r/t Maxey. Highly worth the time.
That was a terrific article. I think The Athletic is well worth the subscription.
I do too. And it’s not really A’s or Kings content I do it for.
One thing we all need to remember – none of McNair’s moves have been leaked whatsoever. The only ones that have been leaked are the ones that fell through (Bogi and Buddy trades).
So, I still stand by no one has any idea what his move will be (and to be honest, the only moves I’ve liked of his are drafting Haliburton, trading for Delon Wright and re-signing Holmes)
There’s just no way Philadelphia trades Simmons to us without us including one of our best players. They’re not gonna let a laughingstock team off that easy. He most likely gets traded to a contender. Plus it’s not like Simmons would stay in Sac I mean come on.
for the next 4 years he’d have little choice.
Yea but he”ll be in his prime when he can walk
tKh: will they swing for the fences?
Amick: nope.
It’s rare that our 30Qs get answered on the same day!
The longer this drags on the less I understand acquiring Simmons without giving up Fox. The spacing would be odd and frankly nonexistent with him and Fox next to Holmes, Barnes, and Halliburton. At least next to Hield I kind of see the potential. A Barnes-Hield-Halliburton pairing next to Simmons and Holmes is kind of a more optimal blend, especially with a bench that could have Len, Bagley, Davis, Harkless, and Mitchell, but it presumes a ton of course. At least there are a ton more shooters available, while the defense is leaps and bounds better. The balance is evident, and there’d be a nice chunk of money coming off in the offseason.
Ultimately this may be posturing for us to get someone more “gettable” at a lower price, but when I first saw this I immediately said “smokescreen” in my head. I personally don’t think this whole thing lasts past the weekend. Rich Paul is pushing hard, other players are getting dragged into it, and eventually Morey knows there is a chance his value tanks further with each passing day in the age of social media. This isn’t Jimmy Butler-level bad, but it’s metastisizing.
Amick spoke to the Kings, who want their fans to know they aren’t making any stupid trades, the fan favorites are staying, and they hung up the phone on such silliness.
Next.
Just out of curiosity, I went to Liberty Ballers for a pulse check and the most surprising thing was the level of intense disliking for Carson Wentz, lol.
Don’t know if you’re an Eagles fan too, but it sounds like Wentz will not be welcomed warmly if he ever returns.
I think Fox for Simmons has the potential to set back the franchise, significantly, when you also include draft picks. I really hope we don’t make that trade. Fox has improved his shooting. Simmons has not. Fox has made it clear he can make defenders pay if they’re just gonna sag off him and let him get an in rhythm three. Simmons has not. Simmons is known as a good passer, put his passing lanes will shrink as people respect his offense less and less, with on ball defenders able to sag into passing lanes daring him to shoot. You can even hack him if he attacks the basket, because his free throws are garbage. Fox seems to be progressing. Simmons seems to be plateauing or declining.
Has Fox’s shooting really improved that much? He shot .371 3p% two seasons ago, then fell to .292 the next season and creeping up to .322 last season. His FT% has been lower than his rookie year the last two seasons. Yes, he improved in the paint, but is still at a mediocre .565 TS%. His operating space is rough;ly similar to that of Simmons.
That is why I would rather swap Fox for Simmons, if we only throw in fodder and get Macey or Thybulle back as well, then give up Tyrese and assets for only Simmons. I don’t like their pairing.
Fox’s biggest improvement appears to have been from 1st year to 2nd. After that it’s been more of an focused incremental improvement in a few categories that seems to based solely on just getting more touches. Basically, it seems like aside from his points and attempts (which stand out) most of the rest of his stats have essentially plateaued.
Did they plateau because he stopped improving? Or was it because he had a better coaching staff his first two years that put him in a better position to succeed? Because the numbers posted by Rik also bring that to mind for me. Maybe a deep dive into his shot selection and how much shots were off the dribble on his three point attempts in 2018 is needed later to explain this. I noticed him using a lot more IQ and savvy this year to draw fouls and make those veteran plays that can win games. He also became a solid closer and amongst the elite finishers. I personally am fine with that. At least he is ranked amongst the elite at his projected offensive strengths when he was drafted. I don’t care if he ever shoots above 37% from three but if he can float closer to that average at his current volume it for sure would be enough to force teams to play him honestly.
If you go purely on statistics related to shooting, that may be true, but if you actually look at Fox the basketball player, his biggest year-over-year leap was quite clearly ’20-’21.
I really didn’t see anything that wasn’t related to the “he’s scoring 25 a game” that looked markedly better from from 19-20. Mind you, I’m not saying he’s not a very good player. However, I can’t help but wonder if we’re settling into what is going to be “peak Fox”. Though, I’m hopefully he’ll focus on his deficiencies in the areas of FT shooting, outside shooting, and defense. That could go a long way toward continuing to move up the ladder toward greatness.
No argument here.
I certainly agree with this as well. Even if the Kings were to acquire Ben Simmons, the biggest factor in the Kings making the playoffs would be Fox and his ability to improve in the shooting, leadership and defense departments. And unlike previous seasons, there would be no excuses. Which is about time, I might add.
Not only shooting.
Compared to two seasons ago, his assist %, rebounding%, steal%, block percentage, Drtg, BPM and VORP all went down.
Only his turnover% and Ortg improved.
Let the record show I’d rather keep Fox. I would try the experiment of those two together, probably with Halli or Buddy, and see what happens. But in my mind, I don’t think it’s a stellar fit. There is a scenario where I can imagine us dealing Barnes and Halli with a couple picks and filler for Simmons. That would mean Bagley and Buddy stay, but we keep more spacing and cap room. I don’t think Philly would bite on that, but I think I like that more.
But I can barely play Double Dribble and this is why Monte is our GM.
.
History also tells us the Kings are never actually players in these things.
Do leverage players count?
Very true. My question is, who actually wants Simmons other than teams like Minnesota or Sacramento? I don’t buy the Warriors being interested. I also don’t think teams like Portland or Washington are trading their guys this year unless things go really bad. Maybe Chicago moves him for Lavine if they think he’s gone in a year?
I listen to Bay Area sports talk in the afternoons and I can tell you they very much see Simmons as a way to continue winning throughout Steph/Klay/Dray’s golden years.
Though to be fair, there’s a ton of folks who aren’t sold on the idea due to obvious reasons, mainly Ben’s perceived penchant for disappearing at the end of games. They don’t seem to mind his lack of range at all, tho, and actually believe he’s a perfect fit for that reason.
Anthony Slater on The Athletic just pointed out that Joe Lacob would have to be convinced to give up both Kuminga and Wiseman. Even in a deal for Ben Simmons. I’m assuming some of that piece is a response to talk shows like the one’s you mention.
I know were I the Dubs, I would never think that Simmons makes me a championship contender. Just a higher profile team with a bigger name star. Derek Bodner’s piece yesterday contained an interesting point about Simmons: That Simmons is a floor raiser, not a leading championship piece.
Barnes (maybe Hield), Bagley, 2 FRPs from Sac is what I think this trade will end up being if something crazy doesn’t happen. Especially if Minnesota is as desperate as they appear to be.
It’s just Slater. Like Cher, or Prince.
Although recent history shows Monte at least gets involved in trade discussions, unfortunately, they both fell apart.
Good point! After all, like they say, it takes one to tango.
The Sixers can have whatever they want excluding Fox and Hali, including multiple protected 1sts.
Lottery protected Kings picks have essentially no value to many in the league. Good luck moving the needle with those.
Conversely, most know how it plays out when a Vivek owned team gives up barely protected future picks to end the playoffs drought and the bill comes due as players are actively working to get traded away.
The potential of Vivek to grab the wheel and Vivek the Kings future is probably why the Vegas odds look the way they do and Philly keeps asking for a lot.
Yeah, unfortunately protected picks have zero value around the league when they’re coming from the Kings.
Assume that the Sixers are going to be forced to give Simmons up for nothing. The Kings will offer Bagley, Hield, and some other randomness.
When they get serious about moving Simmons they can get better from many more places.
Not going to get Simmons.
Maybe not. But other teams don’t seem that interested. I think Kings are positioned pretty well. We have established guys that can help them immediately with Buddy and Barnes. We have a youth still with potential with Bagley, and we own all our draft picks. There’s a reason odds makers have us as one of the favorites
Bagley’s potential is like trying to prove big foot exists. There are definite signs but then it disappears.
I hope Bagley figures it out.
If we end up with Simmons that would be great. I would prefer to see the team built around a legitimate all star instead of “potential” and “possible future all star”.
My point wasn’t about Bagley at all. It’s that we have pieces to make something work, more so than most other teams, specifically in the context of the Sixers in Win Now mode, and not in Rebuild Mode. I was just reading about the Timberwolves trying to build a package around D’Angelo, and draft picks. All of the scenarios and options they mentioned for the Wolves, were far less attractive than what the Kings could offer IMO.
Simmons contract is such a great deal… Not bloated at all and look at those stats…. He would totally be worth bringing in for some of our young developing very high potential better contract players. He’s great. He’d never ask to be traded from a middling/lower team…. that’s just something he does with championship contending teams.
I haven’t thought about whether this is or isn’t a good trade for the Kings but it works in the trade machine so it must be legit.
Buddy and Barnes
for
Tobias and Maxey
Maybe all this Simmons talk is a big distraction?
I say you can never have enough Tyreses on your team.
We’d only have to move the comma on the new Tyreses’ Pieces shirt eps file.
some part of me needs you know that’s called an apostrophe
Late at night, and half in the bag. That’s my only defense for my epic display of dipshittery. I wish there was a delete option, because I can’t stop cringing.
my purposeful need to point it out feels about as bad as your accidental error
The leap some Kings fans make from: (1) Klutch is prepared to make this untenable for the 76ers and thus the Kings may need to give up less to acquire Simmons; to (2) Simmons does not want to be in Sacramento or any team as bad as the Kings, Klutch and Simmons seem prepared to make things untenable for the 76ers and any undesirable trade partners, and the scorched earth approach would be really rough here … is interesting.
I know everything is run through the prism of what happened 20 years and Webber stayed. But this market struggles with Bagley’s likes … and Klutch is probably prepared to regularly nuke the franchise a few times to avoid playing out most of his prime in Sacramento.
I’m enjoying seeing the kings attached to serious trade rumors for a big time player for once. Even if it is most likely a pipedream because Kangz. It’s like the front office is letting the NBA know they are seriously serious about going for wins this time. Now reinforce it and get a new head coach like yesterday please.
As far as the trade, Our best case is trading Fox straight up and whincing extremely hard at it. You likely handed Philly an eastern conference championship at a minimum just so you can celebrate getting bounced in the first round. I also must admit a lineup of Hali Hield Barnes Simmons Holmes is better in theory than say Fox Mitchell Barnes Simmons Holmes, especially since you can trade Buddy and Bagley for depth and start Davion without sacrificing much spacing. Also there would be some beautiful basketball with the passing. However in practice I believe Fox/Simmons is better (if you want more than a playoff berth at first) because Simmons needs a go to scorer alongside him and Fox is trending towards an elite level scorer and is actually better at it than I thought he would be when he was drafted honestly. A 25+ ppg scorer that hasn’t hit their prime is big time. I also believe Fox would be at least every bit as good as Morant was in a playoff setting. I think our fan base would lean toward building around Simmons similar to how the bucks built around Giannis but the problem is Simmons ain’t Giannis. As is he’s Draymond with good measurables and more ability, which isn’t a bad thing, you just expect more from a former number one pick with a glaring weakness that he has at at times allegedly avoided working on.
The Kings are in a much better situation to not blink. The 6rs have championship aspirations and an immediate opportunity. The Kings have a young and building core with meager aspirations this year. While Hield hasn’t exactly been enthusiastic about his role with the Kings, he’s not nearly the malcontent that Simmons is right now. The Kings hopes aren’t dashed if the deal doesn’t get done while the 6rs face a major setback if Simmons continues to drag the team down.
That’s fine. The first variable is actually the 15% trade kicker which someone mentioned in a comment. If he has a 15% kicker on top of a super max contract, he has leverage over trades by deciding whether or not to waive it. The second is who Philly wants. Well, that’s Fox. The players seem to be in the same tier, so it’s not an unreasonable demand, but Fox has been pretty darn good for the Kings. He has a better supporting cast now than ever, so I’d like to see what he can do with it.
I would bet that as long as the right trade comes along for Sac and Minny, they can live with that 15% trade kicker.
Trading Ben Simmons isn’t the slam dunk alot of people seem to think it is.
The way I see it is there is no other trade offer around the corner that would not involve Fox. I’m not saying that would be the “right trade” but it seems to be equal value. If you throw in the 15% kicker, it’s an easy “no”.
Pun intended?
A lot of teams have to be doubting whether Simmons is worth of a Super-Max at this point.
Simmons has the rookie max deal (same as Fox). Embiid has the super max. So there shouldn’t be anyone doubting Simmons being worth the super max. ????
Ahh…Someone said super-max earlier. Yeah, the rookie max seems about right.
It’s Tyrese Maxey’s fault.
someday I’ll learn how to post gifs.
sorry for the clutter.
grr. I’m not good with image posts anymore and it makes me sad.
Just do a quick sketch on your screen, line up things in the browser, take a picture of it with your phone, go to Kinko’s and make 500 copies, then distribute them at the KH End of Summer Jam featuring Boy George, Alan O’Day, and the late Shock G.
Sam is such a buzzkill.
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