The Sacramento Kings have long been considered one of the most logical suitors for Ben Simmons. The Philadelphia 76ers star wants to play in California, and the Kings have incentive to move some pieces to shake up their moribund franchise.

With the market for Ben Simmons continually growing stale, if not weakening entirely, Sixers president Daryl Morey has been forced to lower his asking price — which isn't something he's particularly fond of doing. The lofty demands for perennial All-Stars Damian Lillard and Bradley Beal still seem just as far-fetched as initially thought.

With the Sixers still in prime position to contend with Joel Embiid playing like the world-destroying conqueror that he is, it has become a foolish task to waste their biggest tradable asset.

That has heightened discussions for a potential deal with the Kings. While that in of itself is nothing new, the present circumstances on both sides point to much more amenable discussions this time around. However, it's a bit more complicated than that, in part thanks to Tyrese Maxey.

Via Philly Voice's Kyle Neubeck:

Sacramento is now reportedly open to making De’Aaron Fox and/or Tyrese Haliburton available in the right deals, and those aren’t equal propositions for Philadelphia.

In all likelihood, sources say, a deal involving Fox would almost certainly have to be a three-team deal, moving Fox to another party in order to get what the Sixers think they need. And while the Sixers like Haliburton and feel good about his potential fit, the sense is he’s not at the level they’re after for a primary piece in return for Simmons, that the Iowa State product would need to be one part in a more extravagant return.

The silver lining of Ben Simmons' absence is a brighter spotlight shined on Maxey, and he has made the extra attention worth the Sixers' while. That makes fellow point guards Fox and Haliburton less appealing to Philly in any potential deal.

But Daryl Morey has long been the master of maneuvering. If a deal can be consummated for a relatively more movable piece like Fox, he'll be the guy who can flip him for something else as well.