Ben Simmons Trade Rumors: Kings Won't Include Fox or Haliburton in Deal with 76ers

Ben Simmons does not appear headed for Sacramento.

Sam Amick of The Athletic reported trade talks between the Kings and Philadelphia 76ers have failed to materialize because Sacramento is unwilling to part with De'Aaron Fox or Tyrese Haliburton in talks.

Amick noted that if the Kings were to strike a deal, Buddy Hield and Marvin Bagley III are "widely seen as the most likely players to be included."

Talks have made no progress as a result.

The Sixers have reportedly spent the entire offseason shopping Simmons but have failed to find a deal to their liking. Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer reported Simmons went on the offensive last week, informing Sixers brass that he wants to be traded and has no plans on reporting to training camp later this month.

Sixers general manager Daryl Morey has understandably balked at trading a 25-year-old, three-time All-Star at a heavy discount.

A Kings offer headlined by Hield and Bagley would be tantamount to 15 cents on the dollar. Hield is the same player Sacramento was reportedly willing to move for Kyle Kuzma not too long ago, and Bagley has been a massive disappointment since being taken with the No. 2 overall pick in 2018.

Even a package headlined by Fox would likely be selling Simmons below his actual on-court value. It's easy to forget that Simmons was second in Defensive Player of the Year voting last season and already has an All-NBA selection on his mantle, whereas Fox has never made an All-Star Game and is only two years younger.

Blame for Simmons' trade value reaching a nadir can be shared throughout the Sixers organization.

Simmons himself is to blame for his lackluster playoff performance and lack of offensive progression. Sixers coach Doc Rivers and teammate Joel Embiid may have put the final nail in the coffin of Simmons' Philadelphia tenure by raising doubts after the Sixers' second-round loss to the Atlanta Hawks. Morey was reportedly shopping Simmons at the beginning of last season in a failed attempt to land James Harden.

The entire situation has snowballed to the point the Kings apparently think they can lowball the Sixers and wait out the situation, hoping Simmons forces Philly's hand into making a trade.

As it stands, though, the Sixers almost certainly would rather play a game of chicken with Simmons than take a package headlined by Hield and Bagley.