Ben Simmons expected to start Kings opener alongside Darius Acuff

SACRAMENTO — Oct. 13, 2026 — Ben Simmons is expected to open the regular season in the Sacramento Kings’ starting five, a notable step for a veteran who has not started an NBA game since January 2025 and missed all of last season while recovering.

Projected with Acuff on opening night

According to reporting from Marc J. Spears, Simmons is lined up to start alongside rookie guard Darius Acuff when Sacramento visits the Los Angeles Clippers on Oct. 21. The projection follows Simmons’ return to live action in preseason, when he started against the Golden State Warriors and logged seven points in nine minutes after a 529-day absence from NBA games.

Nothing is locked in for opening night. Coaching staffs routinely adjust lineups through the final exhibitions, and Sacramento still has preseason games left to evaluate minutes and chemistry. Still, the expectation that Simmons remains with the starters is the clearest signal yet of how the Kings want to use him as they reshape the frontcourt.

Workload planned to ramp up

Additional reporting around the same update indicated Sacramento intends to increase Simmons’ preseason workload in the final tune-ups, including a larger share of minutes against Portland and San Antonio. That plan tracks with a measured return: show the defense, rebounding and playmaking that coach Doug Christie has highlighted, without rushing a player who has battled availability issues in recent seasons.

Simmons has said he wants to play a full schedule this year. Durability remains the biggest question after he has not appeared in more than 51 games since the 2020-21 season. A starting role next to Acuff would put him in a featured spot immediately, with Zach LaVine, Keegan Murray and Domantas Sabonis among the names commonly discussed around Sacramento’s first unit.

What it means for the Kings

For Sacramento, starting Simmons would be a bet on versatility — switching defense, outlet passing and secondary creation — rather than a finished product from a handful of preseason minutes. Fans will watch whether he holds the job through the opener and how the staff balances him with other forward options as the schedule turns real.

More on WhyNBA: Ben Simmons player page, Simmons’ Kings debut, Sacramento Kings team page.