Kings signing Ben Simmons as former All-Star returns to NBA

Jason Anderson, The Sacramento Bee on Sep 4, 2026

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SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Ben Simmons, a former All-Star whose career has been hindered by injuries and mental health issues, is returning to the NBA as a member of the Sacramento Kings.

League sources on Friday told The Sacramento Bee that Simmons has agreed to a one-year, $3.5 million contract with the Kings, as first reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania and Marc Spears.

Simmons reportedly visited Sacramento on Monday, undergoing a battery of in-depth medical exams, an on-court workout and meetings with coach Doug Christie and other members of the organization.

The Kings were not the only team that considered signing Simmons. The Athletic’s Sam Amick reported the NBA champion New York Knicks and Golden State Warriors were also in the mix.

Simmons, 30, is uniquely gifted as a 6-foot-10, 240-pound point guard who can also play the power forward position. He has averaged 13.1 points, 7.4 rebounds, 7.2 assists and 1.5 steals over seven seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Clippers.

Simmons is a three-time All-Star and two-time All-Defensive First Team selection. He was named to the All-NBA Third Team in 2020.

Simmons has appeared in 383 of a possible 719 games since coming out of LSU as the No. 1 pick in the 2016 NBA draft. He missed the entire 2016-17 season with the 76ers due to a foot injury. He missed the 2021-22 season due to a contract holdout, mental health issues and a lingering back injury after being traded to the Nets.

Simmons sat out last season to allow his back to heal. He ramped up his workouts over the spring and summer months in preparation for an NBA comeback.

Simmons could be a tremendous fit with the Kings if he remains healthy. He will provide size, length, defense and ballhandling ability for a team that has been lacking in those areas.

Simmons will likely serve as a backup point guard behind rookie Darius Acuff Jr., who recently came out of Arkansas as the No. 7 pick in the draft. Simmons could also log minutes at the power forward spot .

Simmons will give the Kings some intriguing lineup possibilities as a versatile defender who can guard all five positions. After ranking 28th in the NBA in defensive rating last season, the Kings could be formidable on defense when Simmons shares the floor with the likes of Keegan Murray and Dylan Cardwell.

Simmons will get a chance to resurrect his career away from the harsh glare of the spotlight in Philadelphia, New York and Los Angeles. He experienced mental health struggles amid intense public criticism following a passive and poor offensive performance in the 2021 playoffs.

Simmons is a 55.8% career shooter, but he has scored most of his points around the rim while demonstrating limited range on his jump shot. He is a 59.2% free-throw shooter who has made only five of his 36 career 3-point attempts.

Simmons can’t be expected to give the Kings much in the way of shooting and floor spacing, but his size, length, defense and playmaking ability make his minimum-contract signing a low-risk, high-reward proposition for Sacramento.