With one month to go before the NBA trade deadline, Ben Simmons‘ agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, met with Philadelphia 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey and general manager. , Elton Brand, and the parties remain at a standstill over the All-Star’s immediate future, sources told ESPN.
Simmons is no closer to honoring the team’s hopes of returning to the court this season, and the Sixers’ high asking price hasn’t brought Simmons closer to a potential trade, sources told ESPN.
The meeting at a downtown Philadelphia restaurant was described as friendly and professional, but Morey reiterated the franchise’s stance that he won’t trade for Simmons unless he believes the return gives him a chance to compete for a championship, they said. the sources.
Paul told the Sixers that Simmons’ mental health hurdles continue to prevent him from playing for the team again, and the desire for a trade outside of Philadelphia remains in effect, sources said.
Simmons, 25, is signed through the 2024-25 season, a maximum five-year, $ 177 million contract, and continues to be subject to significant fines for lost games and absences from team duties.
The Sixers (23-16) have won seven straight games before Wednesday, but are still out of contention among the elite Eastern Conference teams without Simmons.
The Sixers are targeting the best 25-caliber players for trades, but those types of assets are not yet available in offerings, the sources said. Some teams have even described the Sixers’ asking price for a Simmons deal as increasing, not decreasing, sources told ESPN.
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