Ben Simmons is back in the NBA, and the reaction around the league has already split into familiar camps.
After a year away, Simmons signed with the Sacramento Kings, and that move has sparked plenty of conversation, especially on Sactown Sports, where Richard Jefferson, Draymond Green and Patrick Beverley all weighed in on what the former No. 1 overall pick can still bring.
Jefferson was the most upbeat of the group. Speaking on a podcast in Australia, he pointed back to the talent that once made Simmons one of the league’s most unusual players and stressed that the mental side of the game matters just as much as the physical one.
“Basketball, just like many other sports, as much as it is physical, it is mental,” Jefferson said. “Ben’s always had the talent. Ben has the talent to be an All-Star this year.”
That’s a bold idea considering Simmons hasn’t played in over a year and has dealt with injuries and confidence questions. Jefferson wasn’t really forecasting a full return to that level so much as making the case that the tools are still there if everything lines up.
“If Ben goes and has his best season, he’s healthy, his back is right, he has the talent to be an All-Defensive player, to be a Defensive Player of the Year level talent because he can guard one through five positions,” Jefferson said.
Kevin “Whitey” Gleason and Jay Johnson of The Drive Guys pushed back on that kind of ceiling, but they understood the logic behind it. At 6’10”, Simmons still offers a rare mix of size, defensive flexibility and playmaking if he’s healthy and fully engaged. For Sacramento, that matters because the Kings needed another ball-handler behind rookie Darius Acuff Jr.
Green also saw a potential benefit for Acuff specifically. On The Draymond Green Show, he said Simmons could help take pressure off the rookie in a Sacramento setup that may not be ideal.
“This will take some of the pressure off Darius Acuff. If Ben Simmons isn’t playing well, people are going to want to point to Ben Simmons and say, ‘Hey, he’s not playing well,’ and if he is playing well, people are going to point to Ben Simmons and say, ‘Yo, look, he’s back.’ And so, I think this ultimately takes a lot of pressure off Darius Auff going into a Sacramento Kings situation that is not as great as one would like.”
Beverley, meanwhile, went the other direction. He was the harshest critic of the group, calling Simmons a quitter and questioning why he should be handed another NBA chance after stepping away from the game. He also pointed to players such as Victor Oladipo, who have been trying to make their way back into the league without getting the same opportunity.
That’s where the conversation sits now: Jefferson still intrigued by the talent, Green seeing a possible boost for Acuff, and Beverley arguing the move is unfair to others grinding for another shot.
For the Kings, though, the mission is simpler than all the noise around it. Scott Perry didn’t bring Simmons in to be an All-Star or a Defensive Player of the Year candidate. Sacramento wants him to back up Acuff, bring some defensive versatility and give head coach Doug Chrisite more lineup options.
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