Ben Simmons floated the idea of coming back to Philly, even telling Men’s Health he “maybe” would sign there after sitting out the entire 2025-26 season. Then Friday rolled around, and Shams Charania hit us with the news: Simmons officially signed a one-year, veteran-minimum contract with the Sacramento Kings. So much for that hopeful reunion in the City of Brotherly Love, huh? It just wasn’t meant to be.
The Sixers Were Flat Broke, Period.
Want to know why Philly didn’t even *try* to get Simmons? It’s simple: they literally didn’t have the cash. The Sixers slammed themselves into the $209.0 million first apron hard cap this offseason with all their flood of moves. Right now, after all that wheeling and dealing, they’re sitting just $1.8 million below that strict line. Simmons’ veteran-minimum deal, while seemingly cheap, still means a $2.4 million cap hit, even though he’s earning $3.5 million in actual salary. Signing him would have pushed them roughly $600,000 *over* the apron. They would’ve had to clear significant salary first, and honestly, they didn’t even have that kind of wiggle room. It just wasn’t happening financially.
More Than Just Cash: Injury Woes and Roster Fit
Even if the Sixers *could’ve* found the couch change to sign Simmons, it’s genuinely hard to imagine they would’ve used their very last open roster spot on him. Think about it: the guy has played only 108 games over the past half-decade since that infamous blunder against the Atlanta Hawks in Game 7 of the 2021 Eastern Conference Semifinals. Remember his quote to Men’s Health about passing up that dunk? “I wasn’t hitting my sh*t, so motherf*cker, you knock it down! I just gave it to somebody [Matisse Thybulle] who was shooting a higher percentage free throw at the time.”
Philly already has one massive, constant injury question mark with Joel Embiid. The last thing they needed was to fill their final roster spot with an even bigger, more unreliable one. Plus, while Simmons *used* to be an All-Defense first-teamer and an oversized point guard in his heyday, we simply haven’t seen that version of him in five years. And let’s not forget, they just landed “some guy named LeBron James” this offseason to be their new jumbo playmaker. The fit, both health and role-wise, just wasn’t there anymore.
So, Simmons is officially off to Sacramento, aiming to somehow rediscover whatever’s left of his game. The Sixers, meanwhile, are standing pat, having already made their big splash with LeBron and betting their financial future on the guys they already have locked in. For them, letting Simmons walk wasn’t just about the money; it was a clear statement about managing risk, protecting their cap, and prioritizing roster construction. No regrets for Philly, it seems.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Liberty Ballers.
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