Ben Simmons Lands in Sacramento — and It's Really About Darius Acuff
The Kings signed Simmons to a one-year, $3.5M deal. Draymond Green says the real winner is rookie point guard Darius Acuff Jr.
Rookie PG gets the keys, but a 22-60 roster caps his early upside.
- Simmons signed a 1-yr, $3.5M deal with Sacramento
- Kings finished 22-60 in 2025-26
- Acuff drafted No. 7 overall in 2026
- Simmons: 2018 ROY, 3x All-Star (2018-21)
- Sacramento went 8-10 over final 18 games
Ben Simmons is back in the NBA after a full year on the sidelines, signing a one-year, $3.5 million contract with the Sacramento Kings. The 30-year-old — a former No. 1 overall pick, 2018 Rookie of the Year and three-time All-Star from 2018-21 — joins a team that limped to a 22-60 finish in 2025-26, though it did close on an 8-10 run over its final 18 games to climb out of a top-five lottery slot.
On its face, a low-cost Simmons flier doesn't move the needle for a rebuilding roster. But Draymond Green sees a bigger point here, and it's got nothing to do with Simmons himself. On his show, Green argued the signing is genuinely good news for rookie guard Darius Acuff Jr., the No. 7 pick in the 2026 draft who's about to inherit Sacramento's starting point guard job.
Why Green Thinks Simmons Helps
Green's logic is about pressure, not production. With Russell Westbrook retiring, Acuff is being handed the ball in a situation Green flatly called less than ideal for a first-year player. Simmons, in Green's view, becomes a lightning rod — if he plays well, that's the story; if he doesn't, that's the story too. Either way, the spotlight bends away from the rookie and lets him grow at a normal pace.
There's a basketball case as well. Simmons is a two-time All-Defensive selection, and Sacramento has been a sieve on that end for years. If he's motivated — and Green says he expects Simmons to work relentlessly to rebuild his reputation — he could give the Kings real defensive minutes and playmaking without demanding touches from Acuff.
The Fantasy Fallout
For fantasy purposes, temper the hype on both sides. Simmons hasn't produced meaningful counting stats in years and doesn't shoot, so he's a deep-league defensive-specialist punt at best. As for Green, he remains the more reliable name on paper — our rank #141 overall (#47 at position) after averaging 8.4 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists across 68 games in 2025-26, worth 25.1 fantasy points per game — but his last five games ran 3.1 fantasy points below his season average.
The name worth tracking is Acuff. A No. 7 pick with a clear runway to run the offense is exactly the dynasty profile you stash. Just know the ceiling comes with a 22-60 floor of a roster around him. In redraft, he's a WATCH — let him log a few games before you spend a bench spot. In dynasty, buy the situation now while the price is a rookie's uncertainty rather than a breakout's premium.
