Why the Kings Could Be a Landing Spot for Ben Simmons

In each of the past two seasons, the Sacramento Kings have housed a former lottery pick whose NBA career did not pan out as expected. In the 2024-25 season, it was Markelle Fultz, and in 2025-26, it was Killian Hayes. Well, in 2026-27, could it be Ben Simmons?

Simmons, the first-overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, sat out the entire 2025-26 season to rehab his injuries and is now trying to find a new opportunity in the league.

NBA insider Marc J. Spears reported that Simmons has a training camp offer from a Western Conference team, but his options could open up even more when he participates in the Australian national team minicamp this summer.

"He does have an offer from a West team to come to a training camp, a non-guaranteed offer," Spears said on ESPN NBA Today. "I think he's hoping that if he plays well in this [Australian national team] camp, that ... it can perhaps lead to something else. There are a couple of other teams that are interested. I think maybe he'll have an option soon that he really likes."

"He does have an offer from a West team to come to a training camp." 👀

—@MarcJSpears gives an update on Ben Simmons' potential return to the NBA 🏀 pic.twitter.com/FAPwhKSx6i
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) August 10, 2026

Simmons, 30, has proven to be a versatile defender and valuable playmaker when healthy, and it makes complete sense why teams could be looking to guide his NBA comeback. And, as many Kings likely know, it would not surprise anyone if they were one of the teams involved here.

What Simmons would bring to Sacramento

Simmons is a 6-foot-10 point guard, and while he has been a much different player since injuries derailed his career, there is a chance he returns to the NBA in better health and shape than we've seen the past several years.

Spears mentioned how Simmons has regained his athleticism and is in top-tier shape, so several NBA teams could have their eyes set on Australia's minicamp to see how he performs.

The Kings could use a backup point guard behind Darius Acuff Jr., especially someone like Simmons, who can also play forward. Obviously, the Kings would not expect Simmons to be the All-Star he once was, but he could still make an impact on both sides of the ball. For a Kings team that had the 26th-ranked offense and 28th-ranked defense last season, they could use the help.

"Imagine being able to rotate Keegan Murray, De'Andre Hunter, and Ben Simmons on the wings — and still have Simmons run point in an oversized lineup if you need to."@CarmichaelDave remains adamant that the Sacramento Kings should sign Ben Simmons:https://t.co/RpabU9NX8M pic.twitter.com/s6vH0Li9oh
— Sactown Sports 1140 (@Sactown1140) August 10, 2026

Not to mention, the Kings have a roster spot they need to use. As it stands, they have just 13 players on standard contracts, so they need to sign at least one more. Taking a chance on Simmons could surprisingly help this team next season, and in a gap year where they know they will not be competing for a playoff spot, what's the harm in bringing him in?

The only downside to signing Simmons is that he takes reps away from the Kings' young core, but on a veteran minimum contract, he could still be valuable in a limited role. Of course, there are his offensive limitations to keep in mind, like being a non-existent three-point threat, but that is something the Kings can work around.

There is a small chance that Simmons actually lands in Sacramento, but the idea of adding the three-time All-Star to this Kings team is not as outlandish as some might initially think. After bringing in guys like Hayes, Fultz, Russell Westbrook, and Dennis Schroder over the past two seasons, signing Simmons sounds like a move the Kings would make.

A low-risk move that gives the Kings some more depth and defensive versatility is hard to argue against, even if it is Ben Simmons we're talking about.

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