Ben Simmons wants out of Philadelphia and the Sacramento Kings have the assets to make a competitive offer for him. However, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic, the Kings’ unwillingness to include their two most-prized assets, De’Aaron Fox and Tyrese Haliburton, will keep Simmons from suiting up in the purple and black … for now, at least:

Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee reported something similar on Tuesday, but he speculated that a trade involving Marvin Bagley III, Buddy Hield and multiple draft picks was still possible. If we’re to believe the latest intel from Amick, that package won’t even get the Sixers to pick up the phone.

Given the fact that the Sixers are in win-now mode, that shouldn’t come as some huge surprise. It also shouldn’t be startling that both Daryl Morey and Monte McNair are playing hard ball with training camp still a few weeks away.

But if the Kings are serious about ending their playoff drought this season, or, at the very least, competing for a spot in the play-in tournament, then everyone but Fox should be on the table. There’s no logic in being married to a 31-win roster, especially when it looks like only one player on the team can be the first or second-best player on a championship team.

That’s not to say the Kings shouldn’t try and hold onto Haliburton — they absolutely should — but if Simmons can be had for Haliburton, Hield and draft compensation, then there should be a more meaningful conversation than the one that’s seemingly being had right now.