The Sacramento Kings are heading into next season with almost nothing expected of them, and that kind of setup can cut both ways. They could stumble right back into the NBA basement, or they could catch people completely off guard with a roster that mixes youth and veterans in a way that actually works.
For Sacramento, even finishing around .500 would count as a real step forward after last year’s 22-win disappointment. That’s the strange beauty of low expectations: when nobody sees much coming, just being decent suddenly feels like a breakthrough. It was the same kind of lift that made the 2022-23 Beam Team season so memorable, when the Kings went from a team plenty of people thought might improve to one that finished third in the Western Conference.
That backdrop opens the door for something even more unusual - a player on the Kings finding his way back into the All-Star conversation after years away. The idea is admittedly a stretch, and Ben Simmons is the name at the center of it.
Simmons is back in the NBA after missing all of last season, and he has not looked like an All-Star in years. Still, there is some history behind the notion of a player reemerging after a long gap. Since the 2000-01 season, only three players have made an All-Star team, gone five or more seasons without another selection, and then made it back.
The most recent case is Brandon Ingram, who returned to the All-Star stage last year with the Toronto Raptors after last being selected in the 2019-20 season with the New Orleans Pelicans. If Simmons were somehow to get back there, it would match that six-year stretch between appearances.
Ingram’s season showed how a player can climb back into that group. He averaged 21.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 3.7 assists while shooting 47.7% from the field and 38.2% from three, but the biggest number was 77 games played. The article notes that while Ingram does not carry the same injury history as Simmons, the comparison makes sense because injuries, not ability, have been the obstacle.
There is also the six-year gap for Manu Ginóbili, who made his first All-Star team in 2004-05 and then did not return until 2010-11. That season, he moved into the starting lineup full-time and put up a career-high 17.4 points, matched his career-best 4.9 assists, and added 3.7 rebounds for the San Antonio Spurs.
Then there is Jrue Holiday, whose return to All-Star status came after a ten-year wait. He had first been an All-Star in 2012-13 with the Philadelphia 76ers before getting back there in 2022-23 with the Milwaukee Bucks. In that season, his third in Milwaukee, he helped push the Bucks to the top seed in the Eastern Conference while averaging 19.3 points, 7.4 assists, and 5.1 rebounds on 47.9% shooting from the field and 38.4% from three.
Nobody is calling Simmons a likely All-Star candidate this season. But the Kings’ low-profile outlook gives the idea at least a sliver of life.
If he were the driving force behind Sacramento escaping the bottom of the standings, he would be impossible to ignore by the middle of the season. And if that happened, the whole direction of the Kings would look different almost immediately.
In Other News...
Kings Passed On A Proven Star And Fans Will Debate Why
The Kings had a chance to take a swing on a proven scorer when the front office considered a trade offer for Trae Young involving Zach LaVine, according to team insider James Ham. It was the kind of decision that can shape a franchise for years, especially for a club trying to find the right blend of star power and financial flexibility in a crowded Western Conference.
Sacramento ultimately passed, with concern over Youngs contract extension demands weighing heavily in the decision. Young later landed with the Washington Wizards and signed a four-year, $212.8 million deal, which only sharpens the debate around whether the Kings were being disciplined or too cautious when the opportunity was there. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Passed On A Major Guard Gamble For A Bigger Plan
The Kings have been sorting through the same broader question that hangs over every team trying to retool on the fly: stay with proven names or keep prioritizing flexibility for the next phase. Sacramento has already explored the possibility of moving former All-Stars Zach LaVine and Domantas Sabonis, a sign that the front office is at least willing to think big while rebuilding around younger pieces. Against that backdrop, the team also had a chance to make an even louder move at guard, only to turn it down.
Trae Youngs name has hovered in the conversation, but the reported hesitation centered on the price of a long-term extension and what that kind of commitment would mean for the roster the Kings are trying to shape. Instead, Sacramento added Darius Acuff Jr. in the draft, and the early Summer League showing has only added intrigue to a path that looks more patient than splashy. The bigger question now is whether the Kings are finally choosing a direction, or simply keeping every door open a little longer. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Linked To Proven Guard As Point Guard Depth Looms
The Kings have already mapped out their backcourt for the moment, with rookie Darius Acuff Jr. penciled in as the starting point guard and Ben Simmons back as the primary reserve. Still, the search for another steady hand makes sense for a team that could use more depth and insurance at the position, especially if Sacramento wants someone who can handle pressure and keep the offense organized when the rotation gets thin.
Sylvain Francisco has emerged as a name worth watching because he brings real EuroLeague credentials, along with a reputation for scoring and disruptive defensive energy. The French guard has won multiple titles and individual honors overseas, and his rsum suggests a player accustomed to high-level responsibility. The question for Sacramento is whether his smaller frame can hold up defensively against NBA backcourts, but the fit as a bench option is easy to see if the Kings decide to keep adding experience behind their young starter. [Read more 🡒]