Ben Simmons is returning to the NBA after sitting out the 2025-26 season, agreeing to a one-year, $3.5 million contract with the Sacramento Kings, according to Shams Charania.
Simmons’ agents Max Wiepking, Sean Tribe and Ryan Arney told Charania that the three-time All-Star has agreed to join Sacramento for his 10th NBA season. The 30-year-old point forward spent the previous season away from the league after last playing for the Los Angeles Clippers in 2024-25.
Simmons traveled to Sacramento on Monday for an extensive evaluation that included medical examinations, an on-court workout and meetings with head coach Doug Christie and other members of the Kings’ staff, Charania reported.
The former No. 1 overall pick also worked out for general manager Scott Perry in late August and met with Perry for approximately an hour. According to Charania, Simmons has looked and felt strong from a health standpoint both within the Kings organization and during an Australian players-only minicamp last month.
Simmons enters Sacramento with a résumé that includes three All-Star selections, an All-NBA Third Team selection and two All-Defensive First Team honors. His best NBA season came in 2019-20, when he averaged 16.4 points, 8.0 assists, 7.8 rebounds and 2.1 steals in 57 games for Philadelphia.
He followed that campaign by averaging 14.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, 6.9 assists and 1.6 steals in 58 games during the 2020-21 season. Simmons finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting that year and earned another All-Defensive First Team selection.
Simmons has appeared in 383 NBA games over seven seasons, averaging 13.1 points, 7.4 rebounds and 7.2 assists while shooting 55.8% from the field. His career also includes 1.5 steals per game and 0.7 blocks per game.
His most recent NBA season came in 2024-25, when he played 51 games between Brooklyn and the Clippers. Simmons averaged 5.0 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.6 assists in 22.0 minutes per game, shooting 52.0% from the field.
Sacramento finished 22-60 last season, tied for the worst record in the Western Conference and marking the Kings’ second 60-loss season in franchise history. The organization subsequently focused on reducing payroll while adding younger players under Perry.
The Kings selected Darius Acuff Jr. No. 7 overall in the 2026 NBA Draft and also added Alex Karaban and Emanuel Sharp. Sacramento re-signed Precious Achiuwa and Daeqwon Plowden while DeMar DeRozan was waived and Russell Westbrook retired after becoming a free agent.
Simmons now joins a roster led by Zach LaVine, who exercised his $49 million player option, along with Domantas Sabonis, Keegan Murray, Maxime Raynaud and Malik Monk.
