The Sacramento Kings may have found a useful stopgap in Ben Simmons, but his arrival should not come at the expense of the team’s young core.
Sacramento signed Simmons to a one-year veteran minimum deal after he spent a season away from the NBA to heal himself. The expectation is clear: he’s there to back up Darius Acuff Jr. at point guard, and if Simmons can stay healthy enough to give the Kings about 10 minutes a night, that would count as a win.
That role, though, has to stay limited. The Kings cannot treat Simmons’ presence like a reason to squeeze development time away from rookies and sophomores who need those reps far more.
Acuff is part of that group, but he is far from the only one. For a rebuilding team, those minutes matter more than anything Simmons brings to the table.
And Simmons still brings plenty. Even after his time away, he remains a versatile piece who can be used at multiple spots on the floor.
Sacramento could find ways to use that skill set. But just because it’s possible doesn’t mean it should become the plan.
There’s also the injury factor, and Simmons’ history there is too well documented to ignore. The more he’s asked to play, the more risk the Kings take on.
That’s especially true because Sacramento doesn’t have another dedicated point guard outside of Simmons and Acuff. It makes the temptation to lean on Simmons understandable, but it also makes restraint more important.
The bigger picture in Sacramento is not about squeezing the most out of Simmons right now. It’s about building something that matters five years down the line. The Kings may not be close to climbing out of the NBA’s basement this season, but they are trying to shape the roster that will eventually do the work.
That means giving court time to players like Acuff, Alex Karaban, Emanuel Sharp, Maxime Raynaud, and Dylan Cardwell. Simmons can help, and maybe he even helps quite a bit.
But he is not the future. The future has to belong to the young players the Kings are trying to develop.
In Other News...
Kings Camp Buzz Is Building Around Two Names Fans Can't Ignore
Training camp is already giving the Kings a couple of names to watch, with Doug Christie singling out Darius Acuff Jr. and Ben Simmons as early standouts. Christie pointed to Acuffs coachability as one of the qualities that has helped him get noticed quickly, while Sacramentos new point guard addition has brought a different kind of intrigue to the gym, with his defensive versatility standing out right away.
Scott Perry also offered a positive read on Acuffs potential impact as a rookie, adding to the sense that the Kings may have found a young player worth tracking closely. Simmons, meanwhile, arrives on a one-year deal after spending last season away for health reasons, and his return gives Sacramento a possible defensive upgrade at a time when the team is trying to sharpen its edge before opening night. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Are Testing How Much Ben Simmons Can Change This Team
Ben Simmons arrived at Kings training camp in noticeably better shape after spending last season rehabbing, and Sacramento is already using the early days to see just how many jobs he can handle. Coaches and teammates have seen the same thing that has defined his career at his best: a big, versatile playmaker who can start offense, move the ball, and defend across multiple positions without needing the system built entirely around him.
For a Kings team looking for ways to get more out of its lineup, Simmons offers a different kind of piece than the usual perimeter scorer or spacing-first forward. The challenge is obvious, though, because his limited shooting still shapes how he has to be used, and camp is now less about whether he fits and more about how far Sacramento can push his value without compromising the rest of the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Fans May Not Be Ready For How Rough This Rebuild Gets
The Kings are heading into the new NBA season with the kind of uncertainty that can make a fan base brace itself for a long winter. Veteran injuries have already complicated the roster picture, while younger players are still in the early stages of development and the coaching staff is under the microscope as Sacramento tries to sort out what the next version of this team is supposed to look like.
Scott Perry has made it clear this is not a quick fix, and that honesty comes with a hard reality for a franchise trying to stay patient. The rebuild is being framed as a long-term project, one that could bring a worse record before any real improvement arrives, and some outside projections already have the Kings near the bottom of the standings by 2026-27. For a fan base that has waited through enough false starts, the coming stretch may test patience as much as anything on the court. [Read more 🡒]