Ben Simmons Returns to NBA on One-Year, $3.5 Million Deal With Sacramento Kings

Ben Simmons is returning to the NBA after a season away, with the three-time All-Star agreeing to a one-year, $3.5 million contract with the Sacramento Kings.

The Kings officially announced the signing on Tuesday, bringing Simmons back into the league after he sat out the entire 2025-26 season.

Before completing the deal, Simmons travelled to Sacramento on Monday for an extensive evaluation with the organization. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the process included detailed medical examinations and an on-court workout.

Simmons also held meetings with Kings coach Doug Christie and several members of the team’s staff before Sacramento moved ahead with the signing.

The deal offers the 30-year-old an opportunity to restart his NBA career following his year-long absence.

Simmons last played in the league during the 2024-25 campaign, when he spent time with both the Brooklyn Nets and LA Clippers. Across 51 appearances that season, he averaged 5.0 points, 5.6 assists and 4.7 rebounds while playing 22.0 minutes per game.

While those numbers were modest compared with the production from earlier stages of his career, Simmons’ versatility remains a significant part of his profile.

Capable of contributing in several areas on both ends of the court, Simmons has previously established himself among the NBA’s leading players. He is a three-time All-Star and has also earned an All-NBA selection during his career.

His move to Sacramento now gives him another chance to establish a role following a lengthy spell without competitive NBA basketball.

The medical examinations and workout conducted before the agreement were particularly significant given that Simmons has not appeared in an NBA game since the end of his stint with the Nets and Clippers during the 2024-25 season.

Sacramento will now be hoping Simmons can use his combination of playmaking, rebounding and defensive versatility to contribute under Christie.

For Simmons, the one-year agreement represents a fresh opportunity and a route back into the league after spending the entirety of last season on the sidelines.

With the contract now officially confirmed by the Kings, attention will turn to how quickly the former All-NBA selection can settle into Sacramento and what role he can earn during his return season.