Ben Simmons is officially back in the NBA, folks, and he just inked a sweet one-year, $3.5 million deal with the Sacramento Kings. After taking the entire 2025-26 season off to focus on his mental health, the three-time All-Star is making his return for his 10th season, and honestly, the Kings might have just pulled off one of the biggest steals of the offseason.
The Comeback Story That Caught Sacramento’s Eye
Let’s be real, last season was rough for Simmons. He stepped away from the court completely to prioritize himself, regroup, and get his mind right. But he spent this offseason grinding, proving he still has that high-level game in him. ESPN’s Shams Charania broke the news in early September, telling us, “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 Marc J Spears. The one-time All-NBA star is back in the NBA for a 10th season after sitting out 2025-26.” That’s a low-risk, potentially high-reward move for Sacramento, especially considering his talent when healthy.
What sealed the deal for the Kings? Simmons worked out for general manager Scott Perry in Miami in late August and met with him for an hour. According to reports from inside the Kings organization and Team Australia officials, where Simmons participated in a players-only minicamp last month, the 30-year-old has been looking and feeling “strong health-wise.” That’s huge. It shows he put in the work, and the Kings saw enough to take a shot.
Warriors, Timberwolves, Knicks Missed the Memo
Here’s where it gets wild. Sacramento wasn’t the only team kicking the tires on Simmons. The Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves, and New York Knicks all showed interest, according to NBA insider Marc Spears. But get this: none of them offered him a contract! Can you believe it? Spears reported that Simmons was so confident the Kings would sign him after that Miami workout with Perry that he immediately started looking for homes in Sacramento. That’s some serious conviction.
It seems those other teams were probably only considering a training camp invite, not a guaranteed deal. For Simmons, getting a contract from Sacramento was a much clearer path back into the league than having to fight for a spot, especially with the Knicks, who reportedly had limited opportunities unless other guys were unavailable. So, while three big-name franchises hesitated, the Kings jumped in and got a former No. 1 pick and three-time All-Star for peanuts.
Now, Simmons has a golden opportunity with the Kings to earn playing time and prove he can still contribute at an NBA level. If he comes close to his All-Star form, that $3.5 million is going to look like an absolute bargain for Sacramento, and those other teams are going to be wondering what they were thinking. It’s a fresh start for a player who needed it, and the Kings are banking on a big payoff.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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