Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) – Australian Ben Simmons, who missed last season with nagging back injuries, has agreed on a one-year NBA comeback deal with the Sacramento Kings, according to multiple reports on Friday. The 30-year-old point guard was the top pick in the 2016 draft by Philadelphia but missed the 2016-17 campaign with a broken right foot only to earn the 2018 NBA Rookie of the Year award.
Simmons last played in the NBA in early 2025 as a reserve with the Los Angeles Clippers, but ESPN and The Athletic reported he has come to terms on a deal worth $3.5 million with the Kings, who were reportedly impressed with his performance at a workout this week. He will likely serve as a backup for rookie guard Darius Acuff, the seventh pick in last June’s draft, as well as a possible fill-in at other roster positions.
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Simmons averaged 13.1 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 7.2 assists a game over eight NBA seasons, producing his best numbers with the 76ers before sitting out the 2021-22 campaign. He was then traded to Brooklyn, where he struggled and was waived in 2025 before finishing the season with the Clippers.
Simmons boosted interest from clubs last month after a strong training camp with the Australian national team. The Kings were 22-60 last season and dropped guards DeMar DeRozan and Russell Westbrook in the off-season. Sacramento has reached the playoffs only once since 2006, suffering a first-round loss to Golden State in 2023.
The Kings last won a playoff series in 2004, and the franchise won its lone NBA title in 1951 as the Rochester Royals, marking their 75 years since reaching the NBA Finals a dubious league record.
© 2024 AFP
