Ben Simmons Returns to NBA with Sacramento Kings

Ben Simmons is back.

The three-time NBA All-Star has agreed a one-year deal with the Sacramento Kings worth $3.5 million (around $4.8 million AUD), according to ESPN’s Shams Charania, marking his return for a 10th season in the league after sitting out the entire 2025–26 campaign.

Charania reported that Simmons travelled to Sacramento on Monday, where the 30-year-old underwent extensive medical testing, an on-court workout and meetings with head coach Doug Christie and key staff. In late August, he also worked out for general manager Scott Perry and then sat down with him for an hour-long meeting, a clear sign the Kings wanted a close look before committing.

Those inside the organisation, as well as with Team Australia, have been encouraged by what they’ve seen. Simmons, who joined a players-only Boomers minicamp last month, has been described as looking and feeling strong physically, a crucial detail after years in which his body and confidence have both been under the microscope.

This move gives Sacramento a fascinating reclamation project. Simmons was once one of the league’s most versatile forces: the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, Rookie of the Year, an All-NBA selection and a three-time All-Star. At his best, he controls tempo, defends multiple positions and warps the floor as a 6-foot-10 playmaker.

His last NBA minutes came with the Los Angeles Clippers in early 2025. Since then, his future has hung in the balance, his name drifting from centre stage to the margins of the league’s conversation.

Now he walks into a new locker room, a new system and perhaps his last, best chance to rewrite the story of his career.