Kings Still Shopping Buddy Hield, Three Deals to Get It Done

The Sacramento Kings have many paths ahead of them, but seemingly the two most favorable would be to either lean into a youth movement or to try to find a way to add difference-making talent. While Isaac Okoro and Cam Reddish fall under the former, Ben Simmons is a realistic option for the latter.

Simmons is done with the Sixers; that much is clear. It’s just a matter of how to obtain him. Frankly speaking, there is no way to trade directly for Ben Simmons without giving up either De’Aaron Fox or Tyrese Haliburton. If it were to be a three-team trade, however, that could potentially change.

The Sixers are rumored to be interested in the Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, while the Kings are rumored to be interested in Simmons, and the Thunder seem to only be interested in acquiring future assets. It will take quite the offer for the Thunder to part with SGA, but it certainly is a possibility.

It would take a boatload of draft picks (five to be exact) to convince the Thunder to make such a deal, but they could almost certainly be convinced. That is especially the case with a couple of young players (Bagley & Springer) added as sweeteners.

The Sixers would acquire their top 25(ish) player for Ben Simmons along with Hield, who they have converted for some time now. They would also acquire Mike Muscala, who, oddly enough, is something of a hero in that town. It may hurt to part with the picks and Green in addition to Simmons, but it’s exactly the type of move the ever-wily Daryl Morey would attempt to pull off.

Now, to the Kings who should remain the focus of this deal. Going against the path of acquiring future assets, the Kings would make their play for a legitimate star and do so without giving up Fox or Haliburton. Questions can certainly be asked about the fit of Fox and Simmons, but that’s certainly a problem that can be solved later, likely by moving Fox for another legitimate talent (think Brandon Ingram type).

Ben Simmons is a highly decorated player who is 25 years young, and while he wouldn’t solve every problem the Kings suffer from, he’d raise both their floor and ceiling a great deal and provide some much-needed entertainment for the longsuffering fans of the Sacramento Kings. Adding a player like Simmons could be key for the Sacramento Kings’ future that is currently shrouded by darkness and uncertainty.

Along with Simmons, the Kings would also acquire two-way veteran Danny Green, who could help transform a locker room in Sacramento in desperate need of leadership. Green not only provides value off the court but also on both ends of the floor. Similar to the way Kenrich Williams would be another solid improvement from the Kings’ roster.

Whatever Monty McNair decides to do, the Sacramento Kings need to choose a direction and commit to it. Hopefully, that directly leads to an exciting young player who is a legitimate talent.