The Sacramento Kings have helped Ben Simmons fulfill his dream of returning to the NBA after confirming his one-year deal for the new season. But how much will he earn with that contract?
Simmons and the Kings have agreed to a one-year, $3.5 million free-agent contract, ESPN’s Shams Charania and Marc J. Spears reported Friday, citing agents Max Wiepking, Sean Tribe, and Ryan Arney.
Simmons didn’t play in the NBA during the 2025-26 NBA season. His last appearance came on April 29, 2025, during the Los Angeles Clippers’ first-round playoff series against the Denver Nuggets — basically a year since he last played in the NBA.
Ben Simmons’ unfortunate path
Simmons was the No. 1 overall draft pick by the Philadelphia 76ers in 2016, but he sat out the entire 2016-17 season due to a foot injury. When he finally got on the court, he lived up to the hype, winning the 2017-18 NBA Rookie of the Year and making the NBA All-Star Game each of the next three seasons.
Ben Simmons #25 of the Los Angeles Clippers.
But that’s where the two-time All-Defensive First Team selection’s career derailed. Following a rough playoff series with the Sixers to end the 2021 season, Simmons made his intentions known that he had no interest in playing in Philadelphia anymore, so he held out.
Philadelphia eventually traded him the following February to the Brooklyn Nets in a deal that brought back James Harden. Simmons played 90 games over parts of three seasons with the Nets before they waived him in February 2025. He then signed with the Clippers and finished the year with them.
Expected role on the team
In Sacramento, Simmons is expected to back up point guard Darius Acuff Jr. and be able to contribute at several positions. To give an idea of what he can bring, during the 2024-25 season, Simmons played for the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Clippers, averaging 5 points, 5.6 assists, and 4.7 rebounds in 51 games. Over 383 NBA regular-season games, he has averaged 13.1 points, 7.4 rebounds, 7.2 assists, and 1.5 steals.
