Grade the Signing: Kings Agree to One-Year Deal With Ben Simmons

The Sacramento Kings have actually done it. After a few weeks of speculation, the Kings found their veteran point guard in three-time NBA All-Star Ben Simmons. As Simmons, 30, made it clear that he was trying to get back to the NBA after not playing at all in the 2025-26 season, the Kings emerged as a clear favorite to land him.

Now, we will actually see the former first-overall pick in a Sacramento uniform on a one-year, $3.5 million deal.

ESPN's Shams Charania broke the news, reporting that Simmons had a medical exam, an on-court workout, and meetings with Doug Christie and his staff in Sacramento this week before the Kings decided to go through with the signing.

"Simmons traveled to visit the Kings in Sacramento on Monday, undergoing in-depth medical exams, an on-court workout and meetings with coach Doug Christie and other staffers, sources said. In late August, Simmons also worked out for general manager Scott Perry and met with Perry for an hour," Charania reported. "By all accounts within the Kings as well as Team Australia officials where Simmons participated in a players-only minicamp last month, the 30-year-old has looked and felt strong health-wise."

Just in: Three-time All-Star Ben Simmons has agreed on a one-year, $3.5 million deal with the Sacramento Kings, his agents Max Wiepking, Sean Tribe and Ryan Arney tell me and @MarcJSpears. The one-time All-NBA star is back in the NBA for a 10th season after sitting out 2025-26. pic.twitter.com/xj5X7lr3op
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 4, 2026

Simmons is an obvious on-court fit for this Kings team that needs point guard depth, extra size, and better defenders. Sure, he has his weaknesses, primarily with his three-point shot, but he does everything else the Kings need.

In his last full season, Simmons averaged 5.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 1.2 stocks per game with the Brooklyn Nets and LA Clippers in 2024-25, while shooting 52% from the field and 72.7% from the free-throw line. Simmons is an all-around difference-maker, and his playmaking and defense alone are reason enough for the Kings to give him a chance.

Grade the Signing: A-

Realistically, Sacramento's options were limited. With rumors around Victor Oladipo, Cameron Payne, and Elfird Payton as other potential free agent targets, Simmons was a clear frontrunner in that group. Sure, it would've been nice to see the Kings get a younger player to fill their needs, especially with question marks around Simmons' on-court ability at this point in his career, but they might as well take a high-upside risk.

It wouldn’t be an offseason without some Ben Simmons workout videos 👀

Linking up with Giddey, Dyson and co in Melbourne this week pic.twitter.com/z4fbBSCdHq
— NBA Fantasy Bible (@NBAFantasyBible) August 11, 2026

After a season off to get healthy and work on his game, there is a chance that this is the best version of Simmons we have seen in years. Sure, his role in the Kings' rotation is still uncertain, but whether he functions as a backup point guard or a backup forward who can handle the ball, he should be able to carve out a spot in the rotation.

At his best, Simmons was a 6-foot-10 point guard who made two All-Defensive Teams. If he can even make a fraction of that level of impact in Sacramento this season, the Kings could really surprise a lot of people. This is not the signing that many fans will be excited about, but this is the low-risk, high-reward move that does not hurt the rebuilding franchise.

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