NBA Rumors: Kings Could Send Buddy Hield, Marvin Bagley & No. 12 Pick To Sixers For Ben Simmons


After being swept by the Boston Celtics in the first round of the 2020 NBA Playoffs, the Philadelphia 76ers have become the center of trade rumors once again. After failing to contend for the title, pundits are starting to think that the Sixers will consider breaking up their young star duo of Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons in the 2020 offseason. One of the teams who could take advantage of the ongoing situation in the City of Brotherly Love is the Sacramento Kings.

With Joel Embiid likely off the table, James Ham of NBC Sports sees Simmons as the most desirable trade target on the Sixers’ roster for the Kings. However, bringing a player of his caliber to Sacramento comes with a huge price. In the suggested deal, the Kings would be offering a package that includes Buddy Hield, Marvin Bagley III, and the No. 12 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft to Philadelphia in exchange for Simmons.

“At 6-foot-10, Simmons can play all five positions and he loves to stuff the stat sheet. On the downside, Simmons has limited shooting range and he might not be the best long-term fit with Fox. Finding another elite distributor should be high on the Kings’ list, but trading for Simmons would cost a mint. Simmons is about to enter the first of a five-year, $170 million extension he signed last fall. If he is the odd man out in Philly, at a minimum, the Kings would have to offer Buddy Hield, Marvin Bagley and possibly the No. 12 overall pick in the upcoming draft.”

Trading Hield, Bagley, and their own 2020 first-rounder for Simmons would be a no-brainer for the Kings. Though he’s yet to unlock his floor-spacing ability, he could boost the Kings’ performance on both ends of the floor in the 2020-21 NBA season. He would not only give them a very reliable scoring option, but also an incredible rebounder, playmaker, and lockdown defender.

This season, the 24-year-old point forward averaged 16.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, 8.0 assists, and 2.1 steals while shooting 58.0 percent from the field, per ESPN. Being traded to Sacramento could also end up being beneficial for Simmons. Playing on a team that has elite three-point shooters like De’Aaron Fox and Bogdan Bogdanovic would maximize his potential on the court and allow him to develop into a legitimate superstar in the league.

If the deal becomes a reality, it would not only benefit the Kings, but also the Sixers. In exchange for Simmons, the Sixers would be receiving two young and promising talents in Hield and Bagley. With his ability to efficiently knock down shots from beyond the arc, Hield would be an ideal fit on Philadelphia’s roster. Bagley could form a formidable frontcourt with Embiid next year, but if there are concerns over his ability to co-exist with the All-Star center, the Sixers could use him and the No. 12 pick as trade chips to land an established veteran.

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