After the Sacramento Kings held a workout for Ben Simmons, Carmichael Dave of SacTown Sports 1140 said that someone who was there told him Simmons looked fantastic. That's what gets said about Simmons every offseason, only for things to go wrong. Hopefully, the Kings aren't buying it.
Simmons has been part of the NBA ecosystem since being drafted in 2016. Unfortunately, he's spent a significant portion of that time on the bench due to injury or refusing to play until he gets traded. The problem is that when he's good to go, he's actually an incredible basketball player.
That's why every offseason with Simmons is the same. He goes to workouts or training camps, everyone says this is the year he turns it around, and then he doesn't. Remember that we are talking about a guy who missed what should have been his rookie season due to injury.
It's reminiscent of conversations around James Harden. Every time he moves teams, the front office starts talking about championships as if he hasn't folded in every postseason since 2009. You might think Simmons is going to be healthy and productive, but reality sets in fast just like Harden.
The Kings need to be really careful with Simmons
Sacramento is currently looking for at least one point guard, hopefully two, to sign to a veteran minimum contract. The goal is to have a secondary behind rookie Darius Acuff Jr. as well as a mentor for him. Simmons is one of the veteran point guards the front office is currently considering.
If the Kings are serious about this, they have to look at his history. Just because he looks good in a couple of workouts doesn't mean he's actually good. This man is a proven injury risk, with some issues plaguing him for years during his career. They could easily flare up again during the season.
That assumes he hangs around. When Simmons was done with the 76ers, he refused to play until they traded him. That's not the kind of mentality a team wants. Sacramento has to consider the possibility that Simmons decides that playing for the Kings is a dead end and pulls the same stunt.
If the front office does sign Simmons, hopefully he proves his doubters wrong and has a solid run with the Kings. Again, Simmons is a great player when he's healthy and focused, and everyone wants to see that version of him. The Kings just need to walk into this deal with their eyes open.
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