3 Reasons Why Ben Simmons Makes Perfect Sense For The Kings

The Sacramento Kings continue their crawl toward the 2026-27 NBA season as the offseason drags on, and we keep hearing they are connected to multiple veteran options on the free-agent market. We can argue that they should be taking a flier on a younger player, but Scott Perry and the rest of the front office seem determined to find another veteran presence for the upcoming year.

Among that mix is Ben Simmons, whom the Kings have been connected to for years, but nothing ever came to fruition. This offseason might be a different story, though, as Scott Perry went to Florida to watch the former number one overall pick work out.

🚨 NOT A DRILL 🚨

According to @CarmichaelDave, Sacramento Kings GM Scott Perry will be in Florida today to watch free agent G/F Ben Simmons go through a workout 👀

Dave reacted to the news accordingly ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/owcRRGxtTa
— Sactown Sports 1140 (@Sactown1140) August 25, 2026

Simmons didn't play in the NBA last season, but the Kings have little to no expectations for next season. It would give both parties involved a chance to see what sticks, and these three reasons below show why it makes sense from a basketball perspective for the Kings.

Point Forward

If there was one thing we learned during Summer League, other than Emanuel Sharp already looking like the steal of the draft, it was that the Kings need another ball handler to back up Darius Acuff Jr. Sharp did a lot of great things during the exhibition season, but he's not a true point guard, much like Nique Clifford or even Malik Monk.

But Simmons is a rare player who has all the traits of a pass first point guard from the wing position, which opens up a perfect path to rotational minutes in Sacramento. The Kings may need a ball handler, but they have decent depth at the guard position already. Simmons slotting in as the 3/4 backing up Keegan Murray would give Doug Christie multiple options for the second unit as Simmons takes over the offense.

He could even play with Acuff thanks to the seventh overall pick's ability to shoot the three. Acuff could go off the ball and benefit from open looks Simmons would create as both a shooter and cutter.

Defense

Dec 23, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat forward Nikola Jovic (5) dribbles the basketball as Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons (10) defends during the second quarter at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Not only would Simmons give the Kings another ball handler, but they'd also immediately upgrade their wing defense, which has been a problem spot for years. Outside of Murray, the Kings haven't had a perimeter defender with size who can guard multiple positions. This season, they also have De'Andre Hunter, and you could even throw Precious Achiuwa and Jonathan Mogbo into that mix, but adding Simmons would give the Kings their best defensive wing rotation in years.

Even if Simmons isn't the All-Defensive player we've seen in the past, he has the physical tools to help the Kings build their defensive identity. That's long been a priority for both Perry and Christie, so it's no surprise they continue to look at Simmons as an option on the free agent market.

Kings Have Shooters

Jan 11, 2026; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Zach LaVine (8) shoots a three point basket during the first quarter against the Houston Rockets at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Justine Willard-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

While passing and defense are great, Simmons' biggest drawback, as it always has been, is his inability to shoot. Luckily for the Kings, they've quietly put together a roster of three-point shooters heading into the 2026-27 season. Acuff, Sharp, and Alex Karaban can all knock down the three. DeMar DeRozan and his mid-range game are gone. And Zach LaVine is still around to let it fly from beyond the arc.

If the rotations are handled correctly, Simmons could be on the court with four shooters at a time, especially if either Maxime Raynaud or Domantas Sabonis start shooting more threes this year. We've seen it in spurts from Sabonis, but never on high volume. And Raynaud took more threes in Summer League than last year, which is hopefully the start of a trend heading into year two.

The move may not make sense from a timeline perspective, and bringing in a 30-year-old who didn't step onto an NBA court last season doesn't necessarily line up with building around Acuff, but the fit on the court is enough to warrant the thought of Simmons on the Kings.

It would be a low-cost, high-reward signing that could help pull the Kings out of the NBA basement. And in a season that is all about experimenting and trying things out, why not look to the former number one overall pick as the 14th player on the roster?

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