Kings Get Update on Ben Simmons' Status for Preseason Opener vs. Lakers

The Sacramento Kings will have to wait to see Ben Simmons make his debut. The team is opening up its 2026 preseason slate on Monday night at home against the Los Angeles Lakers, but Simmons is not expected to suit up.

NBA insider Marc J. Spears reported that Simmons is expected to take the floor for the first time this preseason, either Thursday against the Lakers or Saturday against the Golden State Warriors. Simmons has not played in an NBA game since April 2025, so ramping him up seems to be the best course of action for the Kings staff.

"Ben Simmons is expected to make his Kings preseason debut on Thursday at Lakers or Saturday at Golden State, sources told Andscape. A sources said Simmons is healthy and has had a strong of a training camp as any Kings player but the franchise wants to ramp him up cautiously," Spears reported.

Ben Simmons is expected to make his Kings preseason debut on Thursday at Lakers or Saturday at Golden State, sources told @andscape. A sources said Simmons is healthy and has had a strong of a training camp as any Kings player but the franchise wants to ramp him up cautiously. pic.twitter.com/S5MRgKsxYz
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) October 5, 2026

Simmons has made it clear that he is healthy, both physically and mentally, ahead of the 2026-27 season, and the Kings can certainly wait a few more days for him to make his preseason debut.

Simmons is looking as good as ever

Of course, Kings fans are eager to see the former first-overall pick on the court, but until Thursday or Saturday, they will have to trust the noise around the three-time All-Star. Spears also reported that Simmons is looking as good as he has in years, and even admitted that the 30-year-old could earn a spot in the starting lineup within the first month of the season.

"I've heard he's had an outstanding camp. I wouldn't be surprised from what I'm hearing within a month he's starting. I think he's doing that well, but the Kings are going slow with him. He's not gonna play tonight," Spears said on NBA Today. "But I'm hearing tremendous things about how he's playing, and that he looks like he did in Philly."

Marc Spears on Ben Simmons:

"I've heard he's had an outstanding camp. I wouldn't be surprised from what I'm hearing within a month in, he's starting. I think he's doing that well, but the Kings are going slow with him. He looks like he's playing with the Sixers again" pic.twitter.com/1h80sbTX74
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) October 5, 2026

If Simmons is being compared to the version we saw when he was with the Philadelphia 76ers, that is incredible news for the Kings. As a reminder, Simmons played four years with the 76ers. In those four years, he won Rookie of the Year, made three All-Star teams, and finished runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year. If the Kings can even get half of that player, they would be in a good position, but based on what Spears is saying, they should have even higher expectations.

Of course, this talk about how incredible Simmons has been in training camp makes us even more eager to see him in action, but we will have to wait. Unfortunately, by waiting until Thursday or Saturday, Simmons is set to make his debut on the road, rather than in front of the Golden 1 Center crowd on Monday night.

Hopefully, Simmons makes it worth the wait for Kings fans, but after not playing for over a year, we can understand why he is taking his time to get back on the court.

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