Former Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons appeared to put his NBA career on pause after not playing in the league last season despite reported interest from some teams. Brooklyn once had Simmons on the team with the goal of using his size and passing ability to help the franchise win a title, but that didn't work out. However, Simmons is continuing his career with this upcoming season.
ESPN's Shams Charania reported on Friday that Simmons signed a one-year, $3.5 million contract with the Sacramento Kings, paving the way for him to play more NBA basketball after some time off. Simmons did not play in the 2025-26 campaign as he didn't find a situation that fit what he was looking for in his next team, but he seemed to channel his energy in other ways
while waiting for his opportunity to return to the Association.
"Simmons traveled to visit the Kings in Sacramento on Monday, undergoing in-depth medical exams, an on-court workout and meetings with coach Doug Christie and other staffers, sources said," Charania wrote in his report on X. "In late August, Simmons also worked out for general manager Scott Perry and met with Perry for an hour. By all accounts within the Kings as well as Team Australia officials where Simmons participated in a players-only minicamp last month, the 30-year-old has looked and felt strong health-wise."
Simmons, 30, currently holds career averages of 13.1 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 7.2 assists per game while shooting 55.8% from the field and 59.2% from the free-throw line in 383 games played. In the four seasons that Simmons spent with Brooklyn, he put forth averages of 6.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per contest while shooting 56.2% from the floor and 50.0% from the charity stripe.
While Simmons was taking the 2025-26 season off, he spent some time engaging in one of his passions as he became the controlling owner of the South Florida Sails of the Sport Fishing Championship. Simmons signing with the Kings will likely not stop his interest in fishing and other avenues, but it's good to see that he's resuming his career after dealing with so many injuries.
It's good to see Ben Simmons continuing his NBA career after taking some time off. https://t.co/xgoq5Xyiab
— Sharif Phillips-Keaton (@SharifKeaton) September 4, 2026
This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Former Nets G Ben Simmons resumes NBA career after signing with Kings
