Ben Simmons is returning to the NBA after spending an entire season away from the league.
The Sacramento Kings have agreed to a one-year, $3.5 million contract with the three-time All-Star, his agents Max Wiepking, Sean Tribe and Ryan Arney told ESPN’s Shams Charania and Marc J. Spears. The agreement brings Simmons back for his 10th NBA season after he sat out the entire 2025-26 campaign while rehabilitating lingering back and leg injuries.
The 30-year-old had been working toward an NBA comeback throughout the offseason and recently participated in an Australian national team minicamp in Melbourne.
He now gets that opportunity with a Sacramento team that believes his size, playmaking and defensive versatility can help a roster undergoing significant changes.
Kings Plan to Use Simmons Behind Darius Acuff Jr.
Sacramento selected point guard Darius Acuff Jr. with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, making the former Arkansas standout a central part of its plans.
Simmons is expected to provide veteran support behind Acuff while also giving Sacramento the flexibility to use the two together. At 6-foot-10, Simmons can handle the ball offensively while defending several positions at the other end.
The Kings believe that versatility can help a roster that finished 22-60 last season and 14th in the Western Conference. Sacramento waived DeMar DeRozan and decided not to bring back Russell Westbrook after the two veterans finished as the team’s leading scorers last season.
Simmons joins a group that still includes Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine, Malik Monk, Keegan Murray and De’Andre Hunter alongside Acuff.
His defensive ability could be particularly valuable.
Simmons was a First Team All-Defensive selection in 2019-20 and 2020-21, and at his peak he possessed the combination of size, strength and mobility necessary to defend virtually every position.
Sacramento does not need him to reproduce his previous scoring numbers to provide value. Simmons can operate as another ball-handler, push the pace in transition, create opportunities for teammates and potentially give the Kings a versatile defender alongside Sabonis.
Simmons Returns After Missing Entire 2025-26 Season
The signing represents the latest attempt by Simmons to rebuild a career that has been repeatedly interrupted by injuries.
Philadelphia selected him No. 1 overall in the 2016 NBA Draft after his lone college season at LSU. A foot injury prevented him from playing during his first professional season, but Simmons quickly established himself once healthy.
He won Rookie of the Year in 2017-18, made three consecutive All-Star teams and earned Third Team All-NBA honors in 2019-20 in addition to his two All-Defensive selections.
His career changed considerably after the 2020-21 season.
Simmons did not play during 2021-22 and was eventually traded by Philadelphia to the Brooklyn Nets as part of the James Harden deal in February 2022. Back problems subsequently continued to limit his availability.
Brooklyn waived Simmons in February 2025, allowing him to sign with the Los Angeles Clippers.
He played 18 games for the Clippers during the closing months of the 2024-25 season before stepping away from NBA competition the following year.
Across Brooklyn and Los Angeles, Simmons averaged 5.9 points, 5.8 rebounds and 5.8 assists after leaving Philadelphia.
During his final NBA season in 2024-25, he appeared in 51 combined games for the Nets and Clippers, averaging 5.0 points, 5.6 assists and 4.7 rebounds.
Simmons Reportedly Healthy After Year of Rehabilitation
Health will be one of the biggest factors determining whether Simmons can establish himself in Sacramento.
He spent last season rehabilitating the back and leg problems that have affected the latter part of his career. Recent reports indicated that Simmons is healthy again and has been practicing without restrictions.
His appearance at the Australian minicamp also represented an important step toward competitive basketball.
Simmons has expressed interest in returning to the Australian national team and potentially competing at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. His last appearance for Australia came as a teenager in 2013.
Returning to the NBA first was an essential part of that objective.
Sacramento was not his only potential destination. The New York Knicks and Golden State Warriors reportedly showed serious interest before Simmons chose the Kings.
Sacramento’s interest in Simmons also goes back several years. The Kings explored acquiring him from Philadelphia around the 2022 trade deadline before instead sending Tyrese Haliburton to Indiana in the deal that brought Sabonis to Sacramento. Philadelphia subsequently traded Simmons to Brooklyn.
Simmons Could Stay With Kings Beyond This Season
Although Simmons has signed for only one season, his time in Sacramento may not necessarily end next summer.
Spears reported that Simmons could be interested in remaining with the Kings beyond 2026-27 if the partnership works for both sides. Spears described Simmons as loyal and indicated that the veteran could want to stay if Sacramento proves to be the right fit.
For now, the contract gives both sides limited risk.
Sacramento gets an experienced former All-Star on a $3.5 million commitment, while Simmons gets the opportunity to prove that a full season of rehabilitation has put him in position to contribute again.
He enters his comeback with career averages of 13.1 points, 7.4 rebounds, 7.2 assists and 1.5 steals across 383 regular-season games, including 344 starts.
Simmons’ first opportunity to appear for Sacramento is scheduled to come during the preseason against the Los Angeles Lakers on October 5.
The Kings then open their regular season on October 21 against the Los Angeles Clippers, the team Simmons last played for before his year away from the NBA.
