If you have a sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach, that might be because it seems more and more likely that the Sacramento Kings are going to sign Ben Simmons. Given his long history of injury issues and occasional bouts of attitude problems, this is concerning to some Sactown fans.
At the same time, there is actual potential for this to work out. Simmons is a high-IQ playmaker with great vision and high speed in the open court, as well as being an exceptional defender. There are just a few things the Kings need to do to make this partnership a success if it happens.
Simmons has to stay healthy and engaged
The biggest thing Sacramento has to do is work on Simmons' durability and keep him focused on why he's there. That means locking in on his training and recovery cycle, as well as not overusing him on the court. He's not the starter. Darius Acuff Jr. is, and should be doing the heavy lifting.
That's why Simmons is there. The whole point of bringing a guy like him in is to back Acuff up as his secondary and mentor the rookie. A major part of Simmons being successful on the Kings is keeping him engaged in and focused on that goal. This isn't about him at all.
Kings need a second veteran point guard
This seems like a no-brainer. If the Kings do sign Simmons, he and Acuff will be the only dedicated point guards on the roster. In a normal rotation, that seems a little sketchy. Factor in a player as prone to injury as Simmons, and you have a potential recipe for disaster on your hands.
Sacramento will work to mitigate that risk, but there's only so much they can control. They have the salary cap to pick up another point guard on a veteran minimum, such as Cam Payne. Doing that brings real depth to the position, and takes away that reliance of Simmons in a worst-case scenario.
Sign Simmons to a one-year contract
The Kings are actively trying to avoid getting bogged down in expensive, long-term contracts. They're still trying to get out from under the issues created by the contracts of Zach LaVine and Domantas Sabonis. That won't come up with Simmons as all they can give him is a vet minimum.
Sacramento cannot sign him for more than one season for now. If he doesn't work out, they need an easy off-ramp. Admittedly, this is more about mitigating damage than finding success. For the Kings, a questionable decision not completely blowing up in their faces is a winning outcome at this point.
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