Ben Simmons Is Back: Sacramento Gives the Former No. 1 Pick One More NBA Chance
After sitting out the entire 2025-26 season, Ben Simmons has signed a one-year deal with the Sacramento Kings — a low-risk move that could become one of the season’s most intriguing comeback stories.
Ben Simmons is officially back in the NBA.
The Sacramento Kings have signed the former No. 1 overall pick to a one-year, $3.5 million contract, bringing the 30-year-old guard-forward back into the league after he missed the entire 2025-26 season. The Kings formally announced the signing this week after Simmons completed medical testing, an on-court workout and meetings with head coach Doug Christie and team staff.
For Sacramento, the deal is relatively simple: there is very little long-term risk, but potentially meaningful upside.
Simmons was once one of the NBA’s most unusual two-way players. At 6-foot-10, he combined size, passing and defensive versatility in a way few guards could match. His early career with Philadelphia included three All-Star selections, an All-NBA berth and two All-Defensive Team honors.
The problem has been availability.
His last NBA season came in 2024-25, when he split time between the Brooklyn Nets and LA Clippers. Simmons appeared in 51 games that year and averaged 5.0 points, 5.6 assists and 4.7 rebounds in 22 minutes per game. He then sat out the entire following season while dealing with ongoing back issues.
Now, Sacramento is betting that a healthy Simmons can still help.