Kings general manager Monte McNair spent nearly six months in talks with the Philadelphia 76ers in hopes of bringing Ben Simmons to Sacramento, but now McNair is moving on.
The Kings have ended their chase for the three-time All-Star to focus on other pursuits with less than two weeks remaining before the Feb. 10 NBA trade deadline, sources told The Sacramento Bee, confirming a report from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The news comes as the Kings arrive in Philadelphia to play the 76ers on Saturday night at Wells Fargo Center.
McNair has a longstanding relationship with 76ers president Daryl Morey due to their time together with the Houston Rockets, but they haven’t been able to reach a deal for Simmons. Sources said Philadelphia’s asking price remains too high, but the Kings are expected to stay aggressive in trade talks with an organizational belief that the current state of affairs in Sacramento is unacceptable.
The Kings (18-32) entered the season with hopes of ending the franchise’s record-tying 15-year playoff drought, but they have lost five in a row and 10 of 12 to fall 14 games under .500. They are 13th in the Western Conference, three games out of the final play-in spot.
The Bee confirmed the Kings had strong interest in Simmons dating back to mid-July, a short time after he demanded a trade amid the fallout from Philadelphia’s loss to the Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Months of discussions ensued with reports, rumors and speculation involving De’Aaron Fox, Tyrese Haliburton, Buddy Hield, Harrison Barnes, Marvin Bagley III and others, including 76ers forward Tobias Harris.
Morey discussed the Simmons saga last week on “The Anthony Gargano Show” on 97.5 The Fanatic in Philadelphia. Morey specifically mentioned the Kings as a potential trade partner, saying he saw the possibility of a deal with Sacramento.
“I can tell you that, for sure, there are deals with the Sacramento Kings that I think would work,” Morey said. “Will those deals ever happen? I have no idea. Are there just trade deals with the Kings? Probably not. Is it multiple teams? Probably, but for sure there are deals that are possible that would go over our line.”
