Ben Simmons’ injury triggers a significant development

Ben Simmons’ NBA comeback ended before it could officially begin.

Just days before the start of the 2026-27 NBA season, the former NBA Rookie of the Year Award winner was ruled out for the entire campaign with an Achilles tear he suffered during practice on Sunday.

Sacramento signed Simmons to a one-year, $3.5 million contract in September, sparking excitement among fans about the former LSU Tigers star’s return to the NBA after missing the entire 2025-26 season.

But even with Simmons facing a long journey to recovery from his injury, the Kings are expected to keep him.

As John Hollinger of The Athletic pointed out, Sacramento is unlikely to release Simmons because of a salary continuation rule.

That provision states that players on non-guaranteed contracts who are injured must be paid until they recover. Simmons’ deal with the Kings is guaranteed for only $1 million, but the salary continuation rule means the team will have to pay him his full salary whether it keeps him or not.

A former No. 1 overall pick, Simmons last played in a non-preseason NBA game during the 2024-25 season with the Los Angeles Clippers. He has career averages of 13.1 points, 7.4 rebounds and 7.2 assists with a 55.8% shooting from the field across 383 games (344 starts).