Ben Simmons Lands With Kings on a Vet Minimum, Warriors Miss Out Again
Simmons chose Sacramento over Golden State and New York, joining a chaotic roster as a mentor for No. 7 pick Darius Acuff, Jr.
Defensive upside is real, but the offensive ceiling and health history cap fantasy value.
- Simmons signs veteran minimum with Sacramento
- Former No. 1 overall pick (2016)
- Played just 90 games in 3 seasons in Brooklyn
- Warriors and Knicks both 'in the mix' before he chose Kings
- Sabonis: 36.2 FPTS/G in 19 games last season (2025-26)
Ben Simmons is back in the NBA, and he's doing it on a veteran minimum deal with the Sacramento Kings. The former No. 1 overall pick from 2016 spent last season away from basketball — literally buying a fishing team — before ramping back up this summer with the Australian national team's mini-camp and a workout for executives in Florida. Kings GM Scott Perry liked what he saw enough to sign him as a mentor and backup for Darius Acuff, Jr., the No. 7 pick in this year's draft.
The subplot here is Golden State. Per Sam Amick of The Athletic, the Warriors were 'in the mix' along with the Knicks before Simmons picked Sacramento. Golden State instead added Brandon Williams and Georges Niang. Whether they passed on Simmons or he preferred the Kings' opportunity, the result is the same: another player they were linked to signs elsewhere, just days after news broke they didn't land Jaren Jackson, Jr.
Why Sacramento Is a Gamble
Simmons' resume is a cautionary tale. He sat out his rookie year with an injury, missed all of 2021-22 to a holdout and injury, then managed only 90 games across three seasons in Brooklyn before a buyout and a stint with the Clippers. His chronic back issues have followed him everywhere, and his hesitance at the free-throw line has neutered an offensive game that never featured a jump shot.
The setting doesn't scream stability, either. Head coach Doug Christie's seat is reportedly warm, Domantas Sabonis has requested a trade, and Zach LaVine looks all but gone. That kind of turnover can open minutes — good for a comeback — but it also means the depth chart could look completely different by midseason.
The Fantasy Fallout
If Simmons stays healthy, he's still a 6-foot-10 point guard who can wreck games defensively, rack up assists and clean the glass. That's a real fantasy floor in deeper leagues and category formats that value steals, boards and dimes. The problem is he offers essentially zero scoring or three-point production, and his health track record makes any projection a coin flip.
There's ripple potential too. If LaVine (27.1 FPTS/G across 39 games in 2025-26) and Sabonis (36.2 FPTS/G in 19 games in 2025-26, trending +2.9 over his last five) are truly on the move, usage in Sacramento is up for grabs. For now, leave Simmons on the wire in standard leagues and treat him as a defensive-category streamer only. Watch the first two weeks — if the back holds and the minutes are there, he's worth a speculative add.
