Ben Simmons is expected to start for the Sacramento Kings in their season opener against the Los Angeles Clippers on Oct. 21, according to NBC Sports reporter Marc Spears. The projection follows Simmons’ preseason debut Saturday, when he started the Kings’ third exhibition game and posted seven points and an assist in nine minutes.
Simmons signed a one-year, $3.5 million deal with Sacramento at the beginning of September, ending a stretch away from the league. He sat out the entire 2025-26 season to focus on his mental health and regroup, a decision that came after years of injury and performance questions following his initial run as an All-Star in Philadelphia.
Main Development: Projected Starting Role
Spears reports that Simmons, 30, is ticketed to start alongside rookie guard Darius Acuff when the Kings open their season against the Clippers. That timeline traces directly back to Saturday’s preseason outing, where Sacramento gave Simmons his first start of the exhibition slate rather than easing him in off the bench.
Simmons described the experience of returning to game action in comments to Spears. “When you’re not hungry, you’re a little anxious. But you want to feel something.
Feeling [game action] is a different feeling. It’s like feeling a bite from a fish. It’s just two different feelings.
This feeling, you can’t replicate. I wasn’t nervous. I was like, ‘Let’s go!
Let’s go!’ It feels like the start of a new era after just being away and coming back, which is really cool and a good feeling to have,” Simmons said.
What A Starting Nod Means For Sacramento
Pairing a three-time All-Star and one-time All-NBA selection with a rookie guard in the starting five signals the Kings intend to lean on Simmons’ experience right away rather than bring him along gradually. The seven-point, nine-minute line from his debut was modest, but Sacramento’s decision to start him again in the lineup Spears projects suggests the team values what he provides beyond scoring, consistent with his career profile as a playmaker and defender.
Background: How Simmons Landed In Sacramento
Simmons’ path to the Kings included interest from the Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves and New York Knicks, none of which extended a contract offer, according to Sporting News. Sacramento moved in late August, when Simmons worked out for Kings general manager Scott Perry and met with him for about an hour. Simmons also took part in a players-only minicamp for Team Australia, where team officials said he appeared strong health-wise.
Those steps, from the workout with Perry to the Australia minicamp to Saturday’s preseason start, outline a deliberate buildup toward a potential role in Sacramento’s opening night lineup, according to Bleacher Report.
What’s Next
The Kings continue their preseason schedule before opening the regular season on the road against the Clippers on Oct. 21. Simmons’ workload and role in subsequent exhibition games will offer the next indication of how Sacramento plans to use him once the games count.
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