If things go well for Ben Simmons and the Sacramento Kings, the former Rookie of the Year could find his new NBA-home after a one-year hiatus away from the league.
The Sacramento Kings may still be climbing out of the basement of the NBA's extremely talented Western Conference, but the front office has made some significant moves in attempt to accelerate the rebuild.
The most recent acquisition brought back a former All-NBA performer in Ben Simmons, who is returning to the NBA after a one-year hiatus.
Despite the deal being for just one year, reports have already surfaced about Simmons' potential long-term interest in being with the franchise.
According to ESPN's Marc J. Spears, Simmons is "excited" to have the opportunity to make it back to the NBA with a team that believes in him and offered him a standard deal.
Reports indicated that Simmons had interest from teams like the New York Knicks, Golden State Warriors, and Minnesota Timberwolves, but the Kings were the only team to pull the trigger on offering him a standard contract.
For these reasons, Spears added that Simmons could be open to a "multiyear stay" in Sac Town if he fits the team's timeline.
In late-August, it was reported that members of the Kings' front office had traveled to Florida to watch Simmons work out, as the team continued to search for a veteran guard to fill in the 15th roster spot.
Spears reported that General Manager Scott Perry was impressed with the former No. 1 overall pick, with head coach Doug Christie signing off on the move relatively quickly after seeing Simmons work out.
Going forward, the 6-foot-10 point forward will likely fill in as an offensive initiator off the bench for Christie, backing up Darius Acuff Jr.
Simmons' ability to handle the ball and facilitate at his size has always been his strength, but his defensive impact is likely what earned him the nod over other veterans like Victor Oladipo and Cam Payne.
But, the team is not backing Simmons into a specific role, as indicated by Simmons' former collegiate head coach David Patrick.
"For me, over the last probably three months, that swagger, that confidence that he once had, was back," Patrick said on SacTown Sports radio. "I felt he was back to where he was athletically and mentally from his times at Philly when he was a three-time All-Star."
Patrick added that Christie told Simmons to simply "come in and be himself," while keeping all options on the table as far as playing time and positional value.
Overall, Simmons' skillset fits what the Kings were looking for in a backup guard, while he brings a much-needed level of defensive versatility as well.
Simmons is a two-time All-Defensive First Team member, dating back to his time with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Across his career, Simmons has averaged 1.5 steals per game, while displaying versatility on that end of the floor.
For a Sacramento team with known defensive shortcomings, Simmons' ability to defend at a high rate will determine how much he can impact winning.
