Could the Kings be a potential Simmons suitor?

• ‍The Ballard of Aussie Benjamin David Simmons‍
• Could 'Ballard of Ben' join Joe Ingles and Rocco Zikarsky?‍
• Ben Simmons faces NBA free agency reality: minimum contract, no guaranteed starting role.

One thing is certain for unrestricted free agent Australian Ben Simmons — he can't sign with the Celtics, Mavericks, Warriors, Knicks or Timberwolves for the 2025-26 NBA season.

Added to that, the Cavs are over the second salary cap apron (USD $207.8M) and can only sign minimum contracts and re-sign own players.

While the Celts, Mavs, Warriors, Knicks and T'Wolves, all over the first apron (USD $195.9M), are restricted from signing a buyout player who made more than the Non-Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception on his prior contract.

Simmons had his contract bought out by the Brooklyn Nets before the 2025 trade deadline. He signed with the Los Angeles Clippers in the second half of last season.

There are only two franchises below the salary cap, ironically the Nets and the Utah Jazz. Brooklyn is USD $15.2M below and the Jazz USD $10.5M.

It's almost unthinkable and impossible that Simmons would return to the Nets, leaving the Jazz as the most cap-friendly destination.

The salary cap aprons have led to NBA commissioner Adam Silver being known as the Parity Commissioner while late David Stern, who presided over a different cap structure, the Dynasty Commissioner.

So, where does that leave Ben Simmons, who is ranked as the second best free agent on the market? An option for a team at the veteran league minimum, likely not guaranteed and for just one year.

Other teams that can sign Ben Simmons without too much red tape

Over the salary cap but under the first apron: Hawks; 76ers; Suns; Spurs; Kings; Wizards; Nuggets; Rockets; Pacers; Bulls; Clippers; Grizzlies; Bucks; Heat; Pelicans; Raptors; Pistons; and Hornets.

• These clubs can still use minimum exceptions freely.
• Financially able to add Simmons with negligible tax impact.
• But the basketball fit and need becomes the differentiator.

It's almost unthinkable and impossible that Simmons would return to the 76ers.

Potential Fits Within This Salary Cap Tier:

• Spurs – Defensive length beside Wembanyama; developmental system.
• Pistons – Positional overlap with Cade/Ivey but minutes available.
• Pacers – Need defensive playmaker forward; below first apron. Indiana is decimated by injury: Andrew Nembhard; Bennedict Mathurin; Quenton Jackson; and Johnny Furphy (day-to-day); as well as Tyrese Haliburton out for the season.
• Bulls – Playmaking forward depth; ties with Australian core (Josh Giddey/ Lachlan Olbrich).
• Kings – Lack size in the front court; Precious Achiuwa is listed second on the depth chart at power forward, he's 6'8" while Nique Clifford is second at small forward behind Zach LaVine. Clifford is 6'5". Forward Drew Eubanks is playing back up minutes behind Domantas Sabonis. Eubanks is 6'10".

But just because they can ... it doesn't mean this will or indeed want to.

Simmons hasn't posted to his Instagram account in six weeks and there is no footage of him working out in "The Lab". It's been radio silence since the start of training camp so it continues to build speculation given Simmons has been rated the second best free agent still on the market.

Ben Simmons Scout

• ‍Position: Forward / Point-Forward‍
• Height / Weight: 6’10” (208 cm) │ 240 lbs (109 kg)‍
• Age: 29 (December 20, 1996)‍
• Nationality: Australian‍
• Most Recent Team: Los Angeles Clippers (2024-25, vet-min deal)‍
• Previous: Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers‍
• Status: Unrestricted Free Agent

Health & Availability

• Chronic lower-back and nerve impingement issues remain his career-defining limitation.
• Appeared in fewer than 25 total games combined across 2023-24 and 2024-25.
• Conditioning and confidence fluctuated; teams continue to treat him as a day-to-day medical risk rather than a 70-game contributor.

Physical Profile

• Elite size and coordination for a lead-initiator: 6’10” with a 7’0” wingspan.
• Still moves well laterally when healthy — anticipates passing lanes, recovers on switches.
• Explosiveness has clearly diminished post-injury; now relies more on angles and anticipation than vertical burst.

Summary

• Ben Simmons is functionally a non-scoring point-forward who can still orchestrate offence for others, but spacing issues force him into lineups with multiple shooters.
• Ben Simmons is still a plus-defender because of his IQ, size, and timing — not the All-Defensive terror of 2020-21 but serviceable in 20-minute stints.
• Works best as a small-ball 5 or secondary facilitator surrounded by shooters (à la Draymond-Green archetype).
• Ideal pace: up-tempo, switch-heavy defence, spread-floor offence.
• Needs a coach comfortable redefining his role — not as a lead scorer but as a connector and defensive hub.

Career Averages Snapshot

• ‍Games: 317 │ Minutes: 32.7 │ Points: 13.3 │ Rebounds: 7.4 │ Assists: 7.0 │ Steals: 1.6 │ Blocks: 0.6 │ FG %: 56.0 │ FT %: 59.1‍ (Last two seasons combined: ≈ 6 PTS │ 6 REB │ 6 AST in limited minutes)

Strengths

• Elite court vision in transition and short-rolls
• Multi-positional defence; can guard wings, forwards, even point guards
• Rebounding and outlet passing start instant fast breaks
• Low-usage, team-first mindset when comfortable

Weaknesses

• No perimeter shooting threat; kills spacing in half-court
• Free-throw issues (mental + mechanical) persist
• Durability remains major red flag

The Verdict: Ben Simmons potential landing spots

• Sacramento Kings: The Kings (2-5) need size and support at the small forward and power forward ASAP. LaVine is leading the team in scoring (27.4 PPG) while Dennis Schroder in assists (6.9) and steals (1.6). Sacramento is over the salary cap but can still work within the salary cap to bring in Simmons.
• Indiana Pacers: They need help, full stop. The Pacers, the 2025 NBA Finalists, have had a horror start with multiple injuries and are 1-6 with no daylight at the end of the tunnel.

Whether either club wants to take the risk on Simmons' health and availability will be a mystery until it's not.

What it means to be over the cap

• ‍Maximum: $154,647,000
• Non-Taxpayer MLE: $14,104,000
• Bi-Annual Exception: $5,134,000

• No trade restrictions
• No buyout restrictions

What it means to be over the first salary cap apron

• ‍Threshold: $195,945,000
• Taxpayer MLE: $5,685,000 (Hard-capped at Second Apron if used)‍
• Team becomes hard-capped at First Apron by or can't use/do:

• Using more than Tax MLE out of NTMLE
• Acquire players via sign-and-trade
• Signing a buyout player who made more than NTMLE on previous contract (Simmons)
• Using more than 100% in salary matching in a trade
• Using a Traded Player Exception (TPE) that was created in prior season

What it means to be over the second salary cap apron

• ‍Threshold: $207,824,000
• No signing exceptions
• Team becomes hard-capped at the Second Apron by or can't use/do:

• Using Tax MLE
• Aggregating two or more player salaries in a trade
• Sending out cash in trade
• Acquiring a player using a TPE that was created via pervious sign-and-trade

Can only:

• Re-sign own free agents
• Sign draft picks
• Sign players to minimum contracts
• Make trades where one player salary is sent out and equal or less salary comes back (can do a 1 for 2+ trade)