Report: One Team Pulls Out of Ben Simmons Sweepstakes

 

With Philadelphia 76ers president Daryl Morey maintaining an insanely high asking price for Ben Simmons, one of his prime suitors has now officially "ended its pursuit." The Sacramento Kings, according to NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski, have pulled the plug on talks.

Inside of two weeks until the February 10 NBA trade deadline, the Kings believe the asking price for Simmons is too steep and that a pathway to reaching an agreement with the Sixers doesn’t exist, sources said.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 28, 2022

The Kings had been one of the most aggressive teams in the bidding for Simmons, and they've gone back and forth on what they'd be willing to give up, though one massive trade package was apparently turned down by the Sixers already, one that included Tyrese Haliburton, two other starters, and more. 

Woj says this doesn't mean that the Kings are giving up on shuffling the deck, however, as they remain "determined to reshape their roster and remain engaged on several other fronts, sources said."

He mentions names such as Harrison Barnes, Buddy Hield and Richaun Holmes as players they're still looking to move. 

And as we've also reported today, they are not closing the door on trading one of their star players, according to insider Marc Stein. 

Photo Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports