Ben Simmons may be getting another shot at relevance in Sacramento, and the early word out of Kings camp sounds a lot more encouraging than anyone expected.
According to Andscape’s Marc J. Spears, Simmons has turned heads since signing with the Kings in September after more than a year away from the NBA. Spears said on NBA Today on Monday that the veteran guard has been excellent in camp and could even push his way into the starting lineup relatively soon.
“I’ve heard he’s had an outstanding camp,” Spears said, via Oh No He Didn’t. “I wouldn’t be surprised, from what I’m hearing, if within a month in, he’s starting. I think he’s doing that well, but the Kings are going slow with him.”
The deal itself was modest: one year, $3.5 million. If Simmons is anywhere close to the player Sacramento believes it might have found, that contract could end up looking like a steal.
Spears also said the buzz around Simmons has been strong enough to make him look like the old version of himself from Philadelphia.
“I’m hearing tremendous things about how Ben Simmons is playing,” Spears said. “He looks like he did in Philly… He looks like he’s playing with the Sixers again.”
That’s a striking update for a player whose career has been defined by a sharp fall from his early promise. Philadelphia took Simmons with the No. 1 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, and his size and passing vision drew comparisons to LeBron James and Magic Johnson. He didn’t fully become that kind of transcendent star, but he still carved out an impressive run with the 76ers, making three All-Star teams, two All-Defensive First Teams and one All-NBA Third Team in his first four seasons.
He also finished runner-up to Rudy Gobert in DPOY voting in 2021, before everything unraveled. The source of that downturn traces back to the 2021 playoffs, when the Washington Wizards used the “Hack-A-Ben” approach against him.
Simmons, a shaky free-throw shooter, was repeatedly sent to the line and couldn’t flip the script. His confidence took a hit.
Then came the moment that became part of his NBA story forever: late in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Atlanta Hawks, Simmons passed up an open dunk. Philadelphia lost, and Joel Embiid and then-head coach Doc Rivers publicly criticized him afterward.
That led to a standoff with the 76ers, since Simmons no longer wanted to play for the team. He was dealt to the Brooklyn Nets in February 2022, but didn’t appear in a game for them during the 2021-22 season.
A herniated disc in his back kept him out the rest of that campaign, and back problems - including nerve impingement - continued to follow him in the years after. His production never really recovered.
Since leaving Philadelphia, Simmons has averaged 5.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.0 steals and 0.5 blocks per game. In his last stop with the Los Angeles Clippers in 2024-25, he put up 2.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 0.7 steals and 0.4 blocks per game.
Still, Simmons says he’s entering his 10th season without limitations, and Sacramento is taking that cautiously. He sat out the Kings’ 127-103 preseason loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday, with no reason to rush him back.
Kings coach Doug Christie has pointed to Simmons’ defensive versatility as one of the main reasons the team is interested, and how that fits with the rest of the roster will be worth watching. The source of the lineup puzzle is simple enough: Darius Acuff, the No. 7 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, is a ball-dominant guard, while Simmons is at his best when the offense runs through him. If he isn’t handling the ball, his value on that end drops fast.
So Sacramento may have something intriguing on its hands - or just another hopeful Ben Simmons reset. Those have come and gone before. This one will need to prove it lasts.
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There were still the expected rough edges, including some turnovers and shooting inefficiency, but the overall showing hinted at real long-term upside. For a team that has spent recent seasons searching for answers at point guard, Acuffs debut as a starter at least gave the Kings something they have not had there in a while: a reason to believe the position might finally be taking shape. [Read more 🡒]