Ben Simmons Returns After Missing Entire Season, Signs 1-Year, $3.5M Deal with Kings
Three-time All-Star Ben Simmons has agreed to a 1-year, $3.5 million contract with the Sacramento Kings, marking his return for his 10th NBA season after sitting out the entire previous year. This short-term deal is also his chance to prove himself all over again.
This Monday, Ben Simmons flew to Sacramento — not for a public appearance, but for a series of evaluations: an in-depth medical exam, on-court workouts, and meetings with head coach Doug Christie and the coaching staff. It was the final hurdle before his NBA return, and the outcome was the Kings agreeing to offer him a 1-year, $3.5 million contract.
NBA insider Shams Charania, breaking the news on social media, noted that talks between the two sides actually began back in late August. At the time, Simmons worked out in front of general manager Scott Perry, followed by nearly an hour of conversation between the two. According to sources within the Kings organization and around the Australian national team, positive feedback on his physical condition and on-court performance during last month's informal mini-camp with the Australian squad played a key role in the front office's final decision.
For a player who once stood at the top of the league, the numbers on this deal aren't exactly impressive. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 draft, Simmons — with his 6-foot-10 frame combined with playmaking ability and defensive versatility — was once regarded as one of the most unique do-it-all guards in the league, earning three All-Star selections and an All-NBA Team nod during his career. But injuries and inconsistent form derailed the back half of his career, culminating in him sitting out the entire 2025-26 season without playing a single game.
Now heading into his 10th NBA season, his ticket back into the league comes in the form of a low-risk, one-year deal. For the Kings, it's a low-cost gamble. For Simmons, it's more like starting over from square one — no massive guaranteed money, no multi-year security, just a medical report, a workout, and a coaching staff willing to give him one more shot.
The question that comes next is a simple one: after a full season away from the court, can his body still hold up to the pace of the NBA? The answer won't be found in the contract — it'll be written in every game once the season tips off.
