Sixers increasing the asking price for Ben Simmons?

The Sixers are targeting top 25-caliber players for trades, but those kinds of assets have yet to be made available to them in offers, sources said. Some teams have even described the Sixers’ asking price for a Simmons’ deal as growing in price — not declining, sources told ESPN.
Source: Adrian Wojnarowski @ ESPN

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Tom Moore @TomMoorePhilly
#NBA column: Do you think combining Ben Simmons and Tobias Harris in a trade would increase the chances of the #Sixers moving the embattled Simmons by the Feb. 10 deadline? https://t.co/yGQD1ObdRp pic.twitter.com/oO6asUcyzt – 9:35 AM Noah Levick @NoahLevick
From last night:
-Doc Rivers on Ben Simmons, pre-deadline buzz
-Details from Tobias Harris on his shoulder injury
nbcsports.com/philadelphia/s… – 8:08 AM Kurt Helin @basketballtalk
One Ben Simmons trade reportedly not happening: For Westbrook nba.nbcsports.com/2022/01/13/one… – 7:50 AM Tom Moore @TomMoorePhilly
#NBA column: Packaging Ben Simmons and Tobias Harris in a trade could make sense if the #Sixers land a quality power forward in return, but dealing Simmons remains the #76ers’ top priority: https://t.co/yGQD1ObdRp pic.twitter.com/3FkrMdyX6x – 6:45 AM Dave Mason @DeuceMason
Talked about a fun win over the Lakers, Ben Simmons-Tobias Harris and took a lot of weird calls. It was fun:
🔊: https://t.co/iDE8ZHTaGX
📺: https://t.co/azvU6MRGmo pic.twitter.com/VpkPwWmx6P – 4:14 AM Kurt Helin @basketballtalk
Report: 76ers have increased asking price for Ben Simmons, no movement on trade nba.nbcsports.com/2022/01/12/rep… – 11:31 PM Tom Moore @TomMoorePhilly
Updated #NBA column: After reported discussions of including Tobias Harris in a Ben Simmons trade, Harris says ‘he doesn’t want to discuss the matter. ‘It already took too much energy out of me yesterday and today’ https://t.co/yGQD1ObdRp #76ers pic.twitter.com/UgfX1YrSJ5 – 10:40 PM Tom Moore @TomMoorePhilly
Updated #NBA column: Packaging Ben Simmons and Tobias Harris in a trade could make sense if the #Sixers get a quality power forward in return, but they’ll need more impact players for it to happen: https://t.co/yGQD1ObdRp pic.twitter.com/vh4NIuTjIR – 9:26 PM Dave Early @DavidEarly
By playing so much Embiid-Drummond down the stretch here, perhaps Doc Rivers is sending a message of some sort to Ben Simmons agent Rich Paul sitting courtside. 🤔 – 9:16 PM Tom Moore @TomMoorePhilly
#NBA source: The idea of trading Ben Simmons and Tobias Harris together would allow the #Sixers to acquire a power forward in return, expanding the pool of possible players they could get. Primary goal is still dealing Simmons and #76ers aren’t actively shopping Harris. – 8:15 PM Tom Moore @TomMoorePhilly
#NBA column: The #Sixers packaging Ben Simmons and Tobias Harris in a trade doesn’t seem to make a lot of sense: https://t.co/cTIrFtneVv #76ers pic.twitter.com/RL9sWtvxEy – 7:56 PM Kyle Neubeck @KyleNeubeck
Fan near Rich Paul at the game just yelled at him during a break in the action just now: “Yo Rich Paul, get Ben Simmons out of Philly!” – 7:48 PM Tom Moore @TomMoorePhilly
Fan just yelled: ‘Rich Paul, get Ben Simmons out of Philly.’ #Sixers – 7:48 PM Gina Mizell @ginamizell
Fan sitting behind Rich Paul: “Yo, Rich Paul! Get Ben Simmons out of Philly!” – 7:48 PM Adrian Wojnarowski @wojespn
ESPN story on the 76ers/Klutch Sports meeting on Ben Simmons in Philadelphia: es.pn/3GnVnbX – 6:54 PM Ky Carlin @Ky_Carlin
Doc Rivers addresses the trade rumors surrounding his team while also talking about the Ben Simmons situation #Sixers sixerswire.usatoday.com/2022/01/12/doc… via @SixersWire #NBA – 6:27 PM Noah Levick @NoahLevick
Doc Rivers says he doesn’t think Ben Simmons is any closer to returning to the Sixers, but he isn’t sure.
Rivers notes Simmons “does come into the facility. … Hopefully we’ll know sooner or later.” – 5:27 PM Ky Carlin @Ky_Carlin
Doc Rivers says that Ben Simmons does come to the facility and work out. What that means in terms of his return, he adds that he doesn’t have an answer right now. #Sixers – 5:27 PM Dan Favale @danfavale
new information on the ben simmons situation, updated daily pic.twitter.com/aRHKDEGmym – 4:33 PM Joe Mussatto @joe_mussatto
From Thunder game notes: Josh Giddey is on track to become the fourth rookie in NBA history to average at least 11 points, seven rebounds and six assists.
The others: Oscar Robertson, Magic Johnson, Ben Simmons – 4:27 PM CBS NBA @CBSSportsNBA
Ben Simmons trade rumors: 76ers star would need weeks of conditioning to play; contract scaring off some teams
https://t.co/2ldi5rWeQO pic.twitter.com/4qhCzx0hxW – 2:19 PM Sam Amick @sam_amick
A Ben Simmons analysis and updated breakdown of every team that’s known to be in the running (per @Shams Charania), at @TheAthletic…
* Sacramento, Atlanta, Minnesota, Indiana, Portland
* The Sixers outlook
(assist from @ Jon Krawczynski)
theathletic.com/3066096/2022/0… – 11:22 AM Chris Mannix @SIChrisMannix
NEW @TheCrossover Pod w/@Howard Beck: Early returns on Klay, Tatum/Brown in Boston, a potential shakeup in Atlanta, latest intel on Ben Simmons, more. Links: bit.ly/2w1G5e2 – 9:00 AM

More on this storyline

Trysta Krick: Spoke to Jake Fischer about this and it appears Daryl Morey is aligned not just with ownership but Joel Embiid too. They’ll let Ben rot before lowering the asking price -via Twitter @wojespn / January 13, 2022 The meeting at a downtown Philadelphia restaurant was described as amicable and professional, but Morey reiterated the franchise’s stance that it won’t make a Simmons trade unless it believes the return gives it a chance to compete for a championship, sources said. -via ESPN / January 13, 2022 Paul told the Sixers that Simmons’ mental health hurdles continue to preclude him from a return to play with the team, and the desire for a trade out of Philadelphia remains in place, sources said. -via ESPN / January 13, 2022