Who Benefits The Most From Kings' Ben Simmons Signing

The Kings were trying to find a veteran mentor for seventh overall pick Darius Acuff Jr, and while Simmons may not fit that mold perfectly, he does bring a key skill that will help take pressure off the young rookie.

It was clear in Summer League that the Kings needed another primary ball handler, and while Malik Monk has filled that role in the past, it was clear from the Kings rumored interest in veterans that Scott Perry was still on the lookout for another point guard.

Simmons may be 6-foot-10, but he's about as pure a point guard as possible. He averaged 5.6 assists in 22.0 minutes of action during the 2024-25 season, when he split time with the Clippers and the Brooklyn Nets. He may not be able to shoot, but Simmons is one of the best in the league at setting up his teammates and will help take pressure off Acuff to be the primary ball handler for the entire game.

The two can play together, they can stagger, the decisions seem endless when look at possible rotations.

Keegan Murray

For years, Keegan Murray has been the Kings' best, and only, perimeter wing defender. But now the Kings have someone who could even be better than Murray on defense. Simmons is a two-time All-Defensive team member, and while he likely won't regain that accomplishment this year, he's going to bring a much-needed defensive presence to the Kings.

It will hopefully take pressure off Murray on that side of the ball, and allow Keegan to be more of a focal point on offense. Murray's three-point shooting has dipped since his rookie year, and many have speculated that it is because the Kings asked him to do so much on defense. Giving him a little help on that side could help unlock Murray's three-point shot once again.

Doug Christie

Switching from the players to the coaching staff, Doug Christie's life just got a whole lot easier. Well, maybe not easier, but he certainly has a myriad of options that were available yesterday.

Part of what makes Simmons so intriguing is his size and ability to get creative with different lineups. He's a point guard in a wing's body and can defend multiple positions. He could plug into any number of Kings lineups to give Sacramento more size than they've had in years.

Rotations will be extremely interesting to watch this year in Sacramento, but it's certainly safe to say that Doug Christie has no shortage of options heading into the 2026-27 season.