One NBA Team is no longer in pursuit of trade for Ben Simmons
As Sixers' fans continue to be impatient with the Philadelphia 76ers organization's handling of the Ben Simmons situation, an NBA team had bowed out of the Simmons' sweepstakes and will no longer be pursuing a trade for the three-time All-Star:
During the last several months, the Sacramento Kings was one of the teams in the last several months who have been connected to potential trades with the 76ers for Ben Simmons. Now with the Kings ending their pursuit of Ben Simmons, that would leave the following teams still potentially interested according to ESPN NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski and Bally Sports NBA Insider Brandon "Scoop B" Robinson: Minnesota Timberwolves, Cleveland Cavaliers, New Orleans Pelicans, Indiana Pacers, and San Antonio Spurs.
This news comes in the days after reports have surfaced that the Sixers are not wavering in their willingness to hold out for a better offer and maybe even wait for the NBA Offseason to potentially pursue former NBA MVP James Harden. The players that have been discussed as trade assets for the Sacramento Kings in any deal are Harrison Barnes, Buddy Hield, and former Sixers' Big Man Richaun Holmes. The problem for the 76ers' Front Office is that none of those players have ever been All-Stars while Barnes and Hield are practically identical to current role players on the Sixers roster.
If we are being objective, the Kings were never able to offer the best deal for Ben Simmons and there is no Sixers fan who wants to see a repeat of the Charles Barkley trade: Back on June 17 of 1992 the 76ers traded Barkley to the Phoenix Suns for Jeff Hornacek, Andrew Lang and Tim Perry. Simmons could go to another team and have a better career than he has in Philadelphia but if Daryl Morey and the Sixers' Front Office get a poor return in a trade, the Philadelphia fans will never let them live it down. So the Sixers are doing the right thing and not just giving the Three-Time All-Star for just any random players. So let the Kings go pursue other trades while the 76ers will find a team that is more serious in making a deal.