Simmons signs 1-year, $3.5M deal with Kings — SkimNews
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- Ben Simmons agreed to a 1-year, $3.5 million contract with the Sacramento Kings, his agents confirmed to Andscape and ESPN — his first NBA deal after sitting out the 2025-26 season to rehab back and leg injuries
- Sacramento plans to deploy Simmons as a backup point guard behind rookie Darius Acuff Jr. while playing positions 1 through 5, framing the signing as a 'high-upside reclamation project'
- Kings GM Scott Perry hosted Simmons for a workout and hourlong meeting in Miami in late August, followed by a Sacramento visit Monday featuring an in-depth medical exam and on-court session with coach Doug Christie
- The Minnesota Timberwolves and Golden State Warriors expressed interest that could have produced training-camp invites, but the Kings were the only NBA team to offer Simmons a contract
- Simmons rebuilt his stock with a strong showing as a full participant at Australia's men's national team minicamp in early August after telling Andscape in July he felt 'as healthy as he had in years'
- The Kings finished 22-60 last season — tied for the worst record in the Western Conference — and entered camp with a backcourt hole after waiving DeMar DeRozan in July and not re-signing free agent Russell Westbrook
- Career arc: Simmons, 30, was the No. 1 pick in 2016 out of LSU, won 2018 Rookie of the Year, made All-Defensive first team in 2020, and averaged 13.1 points, 7.4 rebounds and 7.2 assists over 383 games with the 76ers, Nets and Clippers
Why it matters: A former No. 1 overall pick and three-time All-Star signing for $3.5M — roughly the veteran minimum — quantifies how far Simmons' market has fallen. For a 22-60 Sacramento team desperate for guard help after losing DeRozan and Westbrook, the low-cost bet carries meaningful upside if his body holds up.
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