Ben Simmons Signs With Kings, Ending Sixers Return Speculation

Ben Simmons is headed back to the NBA. The three-time All-Star has agreed to a one-year, $3.5 million contract with the Sacramento Kings, his agents confirmed to ESPN’s Shams Charania on Friday, ending a full year away from the league and closing the door on any Philadelphia reunion talk that had bubbled up in recent weeks.

The deal marks a stunning turn for the 30-year-old, who sat out the entire 2025-26 season rehabbing lingering back and leg injuries after a disappointing stint with the LA Clippers. Simmons was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, won Rookie of the Year in 2018, and made three All-Star teams and two All-Defensive First Teams during his prime years with the Philadelphia 76ers. Since being traded to Brooklyn in 2022, injuries and inconsistency have chipped away at a career that once looked destined for superstardom.

A Minimum Deal With Real Stakes

The contract is a veteran-minimum arrangement, worth $3.5 million against a cap hit of roughly $2.45 million for Sacramento, according to Hoops Rumors. It’s the kind of low-risk, incentive-laden move teams make when betting on upside rather than track record, and for the Kings it adds a 6-foot-10 playmaker who can defend multiple positions and initiate offense from the point-forward spot. Simmons turned down a similar minimum offer from the New York Knicks earlier in the offseason, reportedly holding out for a clearer role before ultimately landing in Sacramento.

Bettors already tracking early-season prop markets and futures should expect sportsbooks to move quickly once Simmons’ role with the Kings takes shape — anyone shopping lines ahead of the season opener can compare offers through a DraftKings promo code before markets adjust to his return. His fit next to Sacramento’s backcourt, and how much offensive burden he’s asked to carry, will shape both fantasy value and team win totals heading into training camp.

The Sixers Reunion That Never Happened

Simmons’ departure from Philadelphia was one of the messier breakups in recent NBA memory, marked by a trade demand, a lengthy holdout, and years of tension with the fan base. Speculation about a sentimental return had picked up steam after reports that he was training with “zero restrictions” alongside Australia’s national team and expressing genuine interest in getting back on an NBA floor. That storyline is now closed — Simmons will instead face his former team as an opponent, with Philadelphia and Sacramento scheduled to meet twice this season, including a Jan. 27 game at Xfinity Mobile Arena that will mark his first return to the building since the trade.

Over his seven NBA seasons, Simmons has averaged 13.1 points, 7.4 rebounds and 7.2 assists across 383 regular-season games, numbers that reflect his unique blend of size, vision and defensive versatility even as his outside shot never developed. Health has been the recurring obstacle. Back and mental-health issues cost him significant chunks of multiple seasons, and last year’s decision to sit out entirely was framed as a full reset rather than a retirement.

What Comes Next

For Sacramento, Simmons represents a low-cost swing at a player who, when healthy, remains one of the more unique physical talents in the league. The Kings still have roster spots to fill out before training camp, and how head coach’s rotation absorbs a non-shooting, high-IQ facilitator will be one of the more interesting subplots of their offseason. If Simmons proves durable and productive on a minimum deal, it could set up a much larger payday next summer; if the injuries resurface, it simply confirms the pattern that’s defined the back half of his career.

Either way, the basketball world’s fixation on Ben Simmons hasn’t faded, and Friday’s signing guarantees his name stays in the headlines well into the 2026-27 season — starting with training camp battles in Sacramento and building toward that emotional first trip back to Philadelphia in January.