Jerry Reynolds isn’t ready to declare Ben Simmons a clean fit in Sacramento, but he’s not dismissing the idea either. The Kings legend sees enough upside in the former No. 1 overall pick to make him worth considering, as long as the price is right.
Reynolds discussed Simmons on Sactown Sports’ The Drive Guys, where the conversation centered on Sacramento’s search to round out its roster. His stance was clear: the skepticism is real, but so is the potential payoff if the Kings can bring Simmons in without tying themselves to a heavy commitment.
“I’m not a big believer either,” Reynolds said. “But I don’t know what the risks are with this particular accumulation of talent that’s currently on the Kings.”
For Reynolds, the contract matters more than anything else. He doesn’t want Sacramento chasing Simmons if it means handing out major money or years. But if the deal is manageable, he thinks there’s a case to be made.
“He could really help this team,” Reynolds said.
The fit Reynolds pointed to starts with Sacramento’s key pieces: Darius Acuff Jr., Domantas Sabonis and Keegan Murray. In his view, Simmons’ size, defense and passing could give each of them support in different ways, especially by adding another versatile defender to the mix.
The offensive fit with Sabonis is the trickiest part. Neither player gives defenses much reason to worry from the perimeter, and that naturally creates questions about spacing. Reynolds didn’t wave that concern away, but he did suggest the Kings could build around it with enough shooting from players like Acuff, Zach LaVine and Murray.
“I don’t know that it’d be great for 45 minutes,” Reynolds said. “But I could see how that works.”
What keeps Simmons interesting, though, is that he’s not just another name on a flyer list. Reynolds drew a line between Simmons and former lottery swings like Markelle Fultz and Killian Hayes, noting that Simmons has already put together a real NBA résumé.
“He has done something. You know, I mean, there’s a resume there,” Reynolds said.
That’s why Reynolds would take Simmons over someone like Cameron Payne, even if Payne feels like the safer, more predictable choice. In Reynolds’ eyes, Simmons still offers a ceiling worth chasing.
“There are reasons why he’s where he is,” Reynolds said. “But anyway, that’s just my opinion. I think when you’re in the hole, anything you can do to help dig out is worth a try.”
In Other News...
Kings Fans Just Got Another Brutal Reminder Of Their Team's Climb
The Kings rebuild has already asked for patience, but the last two decades have made that a tough sell to a weary fan base. Since Rick Adelmans departure, Sacramento has managed only one playoff appearance, a stretch defined by postseason droughts, front-office turnover and constant searching for the right direction, even as managing owner Vivek Ranadive has stayed in place for 13 years and GM Scott Perry has tried to push the roster toward something sturdier.
Still, the latest outside view was a harsh one. Bleacher Report projects Sacramento to sit last in its power rankings over the next three seasons, a reminder that progress in this market is still being measured against a long climb. The organization continues to treat this as a long-term build, and Perrys recent draft and roster work has drawn some optimism, but the broader picture remains clear: the Kings are still trying to prove they can turn incremental movement into real staying power. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Season Comes Down To One Pressure Point In This Rebuild
The Kings head into the 2026-27 season with the kind of roster clarity that usually only comes after a team has already made its choices. Darius Acuff Jr., Zach LaVine, De'Andre Hunter, Keegan Murray and Domantas Sabonis are expected to form the starting group, and with the roster mostly settled, the focus in Sacramento has shifted from adding pieces to seeing what this group can become. In a rebuild, that changes the definition of success fast. Wins still matter, but so does whether the young players in the room actually move the franchise forward.
Keegan Murray sits at the center of that evaluation. His new contract starts this season, which gives the Kings both a financial commitment and a clear measuring stick for how far this rebuild can go. Projections around the team range from roughly 20 wins to 40, a reminder that the floor and ceiling are still wide apart. For Sacramento, the real pressure point is not just where the record lands, but whether the young core develops enough to make the next step feel real. [Read more 🡒]
Malik Monks Kings Role Feels Like A Rebuild Clue
Malik Monk is still in Sacramento, and that alone says something about where the Kings are headed. After trade buzz followed him through the 2025 offseason and then again at the 2026 deadline, he has stayed put, with two years left on his deal and a player option on the final season. For a Kings team that has not made any notable recent moves around him, Monks presence feels less like business as usual and more like a decision to keep one of its more movable pieces close for now.
The question is what comes next, because retaining Monk does not necessarily mean the front office is done weighing its options. Sacramento may be looking at this season as a chance to let him boost his trade value before the 2027 deadline, especially if the market shifts again. No official plan has been announced, but the longer he remains in place, the more he looks like part of a rebuild calculation rather than just a stable rotation choice. [Read more 🡒]