ESPN's Shams Charania recently revealed that Ben Simmons potentially suffered a torn Achilles tendon in practice that will likely bench him for the entire season. This will completely derail Simmons' comeback, not to mention any plans the Kings had for 2026-2027. And all before the season opener.
In case you've been ignoring the biggest story in the NBA, Simmons signed with the Kings last month to make his NBA return. He has long had massive injury issues, which led to him missing a full season three different times in his career. That doesn't count any other missed time due to other issues.
When the Kings brought Simmons in, everyone was under the impression that he was going to be the backup point guard for Darius Acuff Jr. Instead, head coach Doug Christie started him at power forward. Simmons' only significant minutes came in the final preseason game. He actually played well.
That all appears to be over. Charania reported that Simmons suffered a season-ending Achilles tendon tear during practice on Sunday, October 18. The regular season is set to start just three days later on Wednesday, October 21. It's a horrible, yet not unexpected, scenario for everyone.
How this changes the season for the Kings
Simmons quickly went from a backup for Acuff to taking over as a starter. Given Simmons' long history of injuries, this was always a risky move at best. He might have been playing good basketball, but that doesn't change the physical issues that have plagued him throughout his NBA career.
The Kings were already having to work around injuries to Maxime Raynaud, Dylan Cardwell, and Malik Monk. Now, they will go into the season without Simmons. Sacramento has one main roster spot open beyond that. If all the injured players stay out, the Kings will be short five bodies on day one.
Expect two-way players Leaky Black, Jonathan Mogbo, and Adam Flagler to get bigger minutes until people start returning to the roster. That strategy won't work for Simmons. If Charania is right, that means Ben won't set foot on an NBA court in the entirety of 2026-2027. It's a bad scene.
No one wanted this outcome for Simmons. A positive return season would have been good for him and the Kings. Instead, he's looking at another lost year that will set his career back even further. It also means the Kings' rebuild will have to move on without Simmons in mind.
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