Kings' Best and Worst-Case Scenarios From Ben Simmons Signing

The Sacramento Kings have largely kept things quiet this offseason, but their most recent move certainly made some noise. Signing former first-overall pick and three-time All-Star Ben Simmons sparked plenty of conversations around the league, but getting a player with his talent on a veteran minimum contract seems like a low-risk, high-reward move.

However, it is hard to truly pin down how this signing will work out for the Kings. Just because it's a low-risk move does not mean it will automatically work out in Sacramento's favor, though. Let's take a look at both the best and worst-case scenarios for the Kings' Simmons signing.

Best-Case Scenario

Ben Simmons reminds everyone why he was once an All-Star

The Ben Simmons comeback season is loading 🔥

(🎥 @BBallGround ) pic.twitter.com/ihQYSfacwH
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) August 26, 2026

Simmons has been one of the most disrespected NBA players in recent memory. Even just signing a one-year deal in Sacramento causes some uproar, as people are upset just to see the 30-year-old guard make an NBA comeback after a year out of the league.

This season, though, he has a chance to prove all the doubters wrong. Sure, on the surface, fans assume that he is throwing his season away by signing with the Kings, but this could be the perfect opportunity for him. Simmons should earn enough minutes to make an impact, and with low expectations for the Kings, it should be a pressure-free environment compared to signing with a franchise like the New York Knicks or Golden State Warriors.

"[Ben Simmons] should be the first player in the NBA that actually pays the team to let him play in an NBA uniform."@stephenasmith did NOT hold back on Ben Simmons’ return 😭 pic.twitter.com/hnTlF6leVS
— First Take (@FirstTake) September 4, 2026

Last time we saw Simmons on a basketball court, he averaged just 2.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.1 assists through 18 games with the L.A. Clippers. Of course, he was far from the All-Star version of Simmons we saw with the Philadelphia 76ers from 2017 to 2021, but after taking the 2025-26 season off to get his mind and body right, we could see him get much closer to that in Sacramento.

We should keep our expectations realistic for Simmons this season, but there is a scenario for him to return to star status in Sacramento and truly help the Kings be relevant again.

Worst-Case Scenario

Ben Simmons gets cut before the regular season

Apr 11, 2025; Sacramento, California, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Ben Simmons (25) at the end of the first quarter against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Of course, we should at least expect the Kings to keep Simmons, but part of the low-risk move is that they have the option to cut him after training camp. Simmons signed a one-year, $3.5 million contract with the Kings. However, it is not guaranteed until January. He will be owed $1 million if he makes the opening night roster, but that still gives the Kings all of training camp and preseason to decide whether to cut him at no cost.

It would be a shame if we did not see more of Simmons in a Kings uniform, but Sacramento is keeping the option open to cut him by signing him to a non-guaranteed contract.

So far, we have only heard about how Simmons looks improved this offseason. No Kings fan has seen it for themselves, and until we see what he is capable of in training camp and preseason, there will be some concern that the people around him are simply overrating his ability. Of course, if Simmons is not as impressive as they are making him out to be, we could see the former three-time All-Star cut.

This is not necessarily a worst-case scenario for the Kings, as it would not really impact them to call it quits on the Simmons experiment, but it is obviously the worst thing that could happen to him.

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