Ben Simmons’ season with the Sacramento Kings never got off the ground, and for Keegan Murray, watching it unravel the way it did was brutal.
Simmons, the offseason addition and former All-Star, ruptured his Achilles a few days ago, ending his year before it started. He had flashed some promise in his final preseason outing, finishing with 14 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, but that momentum is gone now as he begins another long road back.
Murray didn’t hide how hard it was to see Simmons go down in practice.
“It's probably the worst thing I've seen on the basketball court, just from what he did last year and trying to get back,” Murray told reporters prior to the Kings' season-opener on Wednesday against the Los Angeles Clippers, via Brenden Nunes of Sactown 1140. “I think he was playing at a high level, so it's gonna take a lot of guys to replicate what he was doing.”
The Kings had planned to start Simmons this season, slotting the 30-year-old point forward into a lineup with Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine, Murray and rookie guard Darius Acuff Jr. That was supposed to be the next chapter.
Instead, Simmons is back in rehab after spending the entire 2025-26 season away from the NBA while working through the back issues that have derailed his career. He had hoped to get close to the two-way impact he once brought at his best. Now he’ll miss a second straight NBA season, and whether another team gives him a shot next year remains an open question.
In Other News...
Kings Suddenly Have A Point Guard Chance They Cant Waste
Kevin Porter Jr. is suddenly in the middle of a front-office decision that could matter for Sacramentos backcourt. After being waived by the Milwaukee Bucks, he is expected to hit unrestricted free agency, and the Kings are among the teams reportedly interested as they look for help at point guard after injuries and roster moves have thinned that spot.
Sacramentos pitch is obvious: there should be minutes available, and a real pathway to carve out a role right away. Minnesota is also in the mix, though, which gives Porter a very different kind of choice, between a team trying to piece things together and one with a clearer path to contention. For the Kings, the question is whether they can make the most of a chance that may not stay open for long. [Read more 🡒]
Mavericks Suddenly Have A Real Shot At A Guard Fans Know
Walter Clayton Jr. is suddenly back on the board after being waived by the Memphis Grizzlies ahead of the roster deadline, and the guard is already drawing attention from multiple NBA teams. Among the clubs monitoring him are the Dallas Mavericks and Sacramento Kings, two teams with very different paths but a shared interest in adding a young guard who could provide backcourt depth without much fuss.
Dallas may have the edge on paper because it has a two-way roster spot available and a pre-existing relationship with Clayton, which could make that an appealing landing spot if he clears waivers. Still, the next step may come down to something simpler than team fit alone: where he can actually get minutes, and how that lines up with the long-term direction he wants for his career. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Season Opener Puts Doug Christies Biggest Concern Under Pressure
The Kings preseason numbers did little to ease the worries around Doug Christies offense. Sacramento averaged just 102 points a game, struggled with shooting efficiency and piled up turnovers, a rough opening act for a team trying to sort out an attack that still leans too heavily on midrange looks in a league built around threes and shots at the rim.
Christie has already pointed to shot selection as a concern, and the bigger issue may be how the offense is creating those looks in the first place. Sacramentos spacing and movement have been identified as schematic problems, and that puts the season opener under a sharper spotlight, with the Kings needing to show their approach can generate better opportunities before the questions about the offense grow louder. [Read more 🡒]