Sixers rumors: De’Aaron Fox and Tyrese Haliburton no longer untouchable

The Sixers continue to prowl the Ben Simmons trade market with high demands and no particular sense of hurry. It feels increasingly possible that this could really drag out past the February trade deadline. Even so, Philadelphia has engaged with multiple interested parties. If the Sixers want to make a trade, it’s logical to assume they can amass a solid return package.

Further evidence of that came in the morning hours of Wednesday, Jan. 5 in a new report from The Athletic’s Sam Amick. In the report, he notes the rising urgency to compete in Sacramento. The Kings are 16-23, and have so far performed well below expectations.

It comes as no surprise, then, that De’Aaron Fox and Tyrese Haliburton are no longer viewed as untouchable. While Amick makes clear that Sacramento prefers to build around its star backcourt, the Kings’ sustained commitment to mediocre basketball could force them to bite the bullet on a blockbuster trade.

Will the Sixers engage with the Kings in trade talks concerning De’Aaron Fox or Tyrese Haliburton?

It’s only natural to bring Ben Simmons into the conversation. Per Amick, the Kings’ interest in Simmons is there — even more so than earlier in the season, when executives were still hopeful for a more productive campaign. With the Kings straddling the boarder of purgatory once more, there is no All-Star talent more blatantly available than Simmons.

The flip side, of course, is that Philadelphia’s trade demands remain sky high. Daryl Morey has his sights set on the likes of Damian Lillard, James Harden, and Bradley Beal. Neither Fox nor Haliburton are All-Stars (yet), and there’s a good chance neither is on Philadelphia’s widely speculated 30-person list of acceptable trade centerpieces.

A lot can change between now and the trade deadline. If Philadelphia can’t build on its current momentum, the front office could become more desperate to build a real contender around Joel Embiid. How loosely can Morey act with a full season of Embiid’s prime. Also, with the Kings showing no signs of meaningful improvement, a grudging willingness to think about trading Fox could turn into a full-fledged effort to move the struggling 24-year-old.

There are ample concerns about Fox’s fit in Philadelphia, and it doesn’t feel like Haliburton will ever satisfy Morey’s thirst for a true No. 2 star next to Joel Embiid. But even so, this is a situation worth monitoring — be it negotiations between the two franchises, or the starting point of three-team trade structures.