Philadelphia 76ers Receive: G De’Aaron Fox
Sacramento Kings Receive: G/F Ben Simmons
That’s it! That is the trade.
A straight-up swap of Ben Simmons for De’Aaron Fox may not seem like the right amount of value coming back in a trade for the Philadelphia 76ers, but this really is one of the better scenarios for both teams given their immediate needs.
The 76ers have been finding success this season with Joel Embiid having monster performances and Tyrese Maxye breaking out as their starting point guard in his second season, but is this team’s secondary talent good enough to win a championship?
Daryl Morey and this front-office seems to think so, but the infamous “eye-test” says otherwise. Over the 76ers’ last 18 games, Joel Embiid has accounted for about 31% of his team’s total scoring output and if you factor Tobias Harris into the equation as well, these two have accounted for nearly 50% of the 76ers’ total scoring output.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Kings Have ‘Turned Elsewhere’ On Ben Simmons Trade Front
If Joel Embiid is going to continue playing like he has been, of course the 76ers are real title contenders, but it is hard to imagine that he can sustain such a level of play without wear and tear becoming a problem.
The topic of discussion for the 76ers all year long has been the fact that they do not have another high-level scorer, primarily in their backcourt, which is why De’Aaron Fox could solve a lot of their problems. Tyrese Maxey would still be on this team and could possibly still start next to Fox, but the Sacramento Kings guard brings more to the table both on offense and defense for the 76ers.
In Sacramento, Fox has been instrumental in this team’s minimal success, but second-year guard Tyrese Haliburton has really come on as a key facilitator for this team.
Along with just drafting rookie Davion Mitchell in the first-round, the Kings seem to have a logjam in their backcourt and really need an All-Star that can help elevate them to the next level. De’Aaron Fox could possibly do so in time, but this organization has not made the playoffs since 2006 and would like to change that as soon as possible.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Kings Have ‘Turned Elsewhere’ On Ben Simmons Trade Front
They would still need to get Ben Simmons some more scoring help given his struggles on offense, but at just 25-years-old, the Kings could build around Simmons for the foreseeable future and he is one of the best defensive players in the league.
This may not seem like a logical move for both sides, but there are definitely advantages presented here in this easy deal between the Philadelphia 76ers and Sacramento Kings.
