Ben Simmons ends 529-day absence with seven points in first Kings start

Ben Simmons played his first NBA game in 529 days on Saturday, October 10, starting for the Sacramento Kings and scoring seven points in under nine minutes before the team sat him for the rest of a 111-106 preseason loss to the Golden State Warriors.

The brief outing matters because Simmons, 30, sat out the entire 2025-26 season while rehabbing back and leg problems, and Sacramento is the only club that offered him a contract this summer. His last appearance before Saturday came on April 29, 2025, in Game 5 of the LA Clippers’ first-round series against the Denver Nuggets.

Simmons started alongside Darius Acuff Jr., Zach LaVine, Precious Achiuwa and Keegan Murray. In 8 minutes and 54 seconds he made two of his four shots and three of four free throws, added an assist and committed two turnovers. Every one of his points came in the first half, and the Kings went to the locker room trailing 61-56.

The short shift was planned before tipoff rather than a sign of trouble, according to Kings On SI, which also carried his reaction afterward. Simmons said the night “felt really good” and described the simple relief of competing again after a year on the sidelines. He also argued that better health has changed his approach, calling himself more aggressive and saying the game has slowed down for him.

A low-cost bet on a former No. 1 pick

Simmons agreed to a one-year deal worth a reported $3.5 million in early September, according to Marc J. Spears of ESPN and Andscape, with his agents confirming the agreement. Spears reported that general manager Scott Perry and coach Doug Christie both came away impressed from workouts, and that the Timberwolves and Warriors had shown interest without making an offer.

The 2016 top pick out of LSU was the 2018 Rookie of the Year, a three-time All-Star and a first-team All-Defensive selection in 2020. Injuries and absences have defined the years since: he missed his would-be rookie season with a foot injury, sat out 2021-22, and averaged 2.9 points in 18 games with the Clippers after a February 2025 buyout with the Brooklyn Nets.

Sacramento, a 22-win team last season, reportedly sees him as a backup point guard behind the rookie Acuff who can line up at several positions. The team has not said how his minutes will grow during the rest of the preseason.

The rest of the night in San Francisco

Acuff led the Kings with 25 points and eight assists, and Jonathan Mogbo added 12 points, eight rebounds and five steals. The evening was soured by the right knee injury to center Maxime Raynaud, who had 10 points in 8 minutes and 48 seconds before leaving; the Kings later said he will be reevaluated in about two weeks. Yaxel Lendeborg paced Golden State with 23 points and 10 rebounds.

What comes next

The Kings host the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday, October 13, at 10 p.m. ET, the next chance to see whether Simmons gets a longer run. Follow the Trail Blazers-Kings Game Center for live updates.