The Sacramento Kings are heading into training camp with plenty still unsettled, from questions around Domantas Sabonis and his future to the broader task of filling out a roster that doesn’t look built for a big season.
Even so, the Kings have already made one notable move. A couple of weeks ago, they landed former first overall pick Ben Simmons.
“Three-time All-Star Ben Simmons has agreed on a one-year, $3.5 million deal with the Sacramento Kings, his agents Max Wiepking, Sean Tribe and Ryan Arney tell me and Marc J Spears. The one-time All-NBA star is back in the NBA for a 10th season after sitting out 2025-26,” ESPN’s Shams Charania wrote.
Simmons spent last season away from basketball, working on his mental capacity and stepping back from the game entirely. Now he’s back, trying to restart his career after drawing interest from more than one team.
“The Kings weren’t the only team considering Simmons, as league sources say the Knicks and Warriors were also in the mix,” The Athletic’s Sam Amick wrote.
But Sacramento may not be finished adding. Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes says the Kings should be looking at another former first-rounder in Cam Whitmore.
“Cam Whitmore may be on the way out of the league, but any team with a talent deficit and little to lose should be willing to give him one more shot. The Sacramento Kings fit that description pretty well, and they should have interest in seeing if there's something valuable still hiding inside the athletic wing who was recently waived by the Cleveland Cavaliers,” Hughes wrote.
Whitmore was on a $15 million contract before the Cavaliers let him go, and he brings scoring ability to the table. The issue, as Hughes pointed out, is defense. Still, Sacramento could offer him a real opportunity, something he may not find in many other places.
With his career hanging in the balance, Whitmore could be staring at one of his final chances.
In Other News...
Cavaliers Could Soon Regret How Much Talent They Let Go
The Cavaliers have spent recent seasons reshaping the roster in search of a cleaner fit around their core, and the ripple effect from those moves is starting to come into focus. A few former Cleveland connections are now in new places, and the early read is that several of them could land in situations where their strengths are used more clearly than they were in Northeast Ohio.
De'Andre Hunter and Dennis Schroder are among the names to watch as they settle into new roles, while Darius Garland and Keon Ellis also factor into the broader discussion of what Cleveland gave up and what might still linger as a what-if. It is the kind of post-departure evaluation that can take time to fully settle, but if any of these players find a level elsewhere that Cleveland can no longer claim, the Cavaliers may end up looking back at this stretch a little differently. [Read more 🡒]
Cavs Fans Face A Big Viewing Change Next Season
Cavaliers fans are about to get a very different way to follow the team next season, with the franchise turning to DAZN as its direct-to-consumer media partner for 2026-27. The partnership will cover preseason and regular-season games, along with additional team content, while keeping the familiar broadcast crew in place. It is also expected to come with a production upgrade, including more cameras and ultra-high-resolution systems.
DAZN will roll out several subscription options, giving fans different price points and feature sets, and local viewers will have some free games available as well as a free seven-day trial. For a fan base used to tuning in a certain way, the change brings both convenience and a few new decisions about how to watch, especially as the team shifts to a more modern streaming model. What remains to be seen is how smoothly that transition fits into the routines of the people who have followed the Cavs the same way for years. [Read more 🡒]
Cavaliers Just Made A Front Office Move That Will Shape This Core
The Cavaliers are making a notable front office move around a core they believe is still very much in place, promoting Brandon Weems to general manager under president Koby Altman. Weems has spent the past decade in the organization, most recently serving as assistant GM, and the promotion gives Cleveland another familiar voice in a key decision-making chair as it looks to shape the next phase of the roster.
For a team trying to keep its footing in a constantly shifting Eastern Conference landscape, continuity in the front office can matter just as much as continuity on the court. Cleveland is planning to open next season with Harden, Mitchell, Watson, Mobley and Allen, and this kind of internal elevation suggests the Cavaliers want the people guiding those pieces to be as steady as the lineup itself. [Read more 🡒]