Ben Simmons and the Kings are a match made in hell

Sacramento Kings GM Scott Perry observed a workout by Ben Simmons in Florida Tuesday, raising speculation that the Kings will sign the No. 1 pick from a decade ago.

Both sides should walk away.

Ben Simmons is a terrible fit for Sacramento Kings

Perry reportedly wants a veteran mentor to back up first-round pick Darius Acuff, Jr. Simmons is one of a number of veterans that the Kings are considering, including Gabe Vincent and Victor Oladipo. After sitting out all of last season, Simmons became the majority owner in a sport fishing league while trying to get healthier.

He's not exactly an ideal mentor. Simmons clashed with the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2021-22 season, getting thrown out of practice multiple times and racking up $17M in fines before finally getting traded to the Brooklyn Nets. In three seasons with the Nets, Simmons suited up for just 90 games and averaged 6.5 points.

Simmons has always been talented, but injuries and mental health issues derailed his career. He was reluctant to even attempt three-point shots, taking 36 in his 383 career games, and seemed afraid of getting fouled because of his awful free-throw shooting. He clashed with teammates and management multiple times.

Is that who the Kings want mentoring their 19-year-old guard of the future? Especially for a team that was last in the NBA in three-pointers last season?

Sacramento Kings are a terrible fit for Ben Simmons

Simmons may or may not be interested in coming to the Kings, but they're the only NBA team that has shown direct interest in him. But it's a bad option for his comeback, even if there are no other suitors at the moment.

The Kings are unlikely to compete this season and may end up dismantling their team. Zach LaVine has a $49M expiring contract, while De'Andre Hunter's expiring deal is worth $24.9M. Domantas Sabonis and Malik Monk are both trade candidates as the franchise resets around Acuff and rookie center Maxime Reynaud, and head coach Doug Christie could be fired at any point in the season.

There won't be much pressure from the media in Sacramento, but it's not a place Simmons is likely to shine. It's already tough for the Kings to work around the lack of outside shooting from Sabonis, who might be unplayable with Simmons. The Kings could very well be the worst team in the NBA next season, hardly an ideal showcase for a comeback.

Just look at Russell Westbrook. The veteran point guard played 64 games and averaged 15.2 points last season for the Kings, only to receive so little interest on the open market this summer that he chose to retire. Simmons would be lucky to average a third of those points.

Simmons wants back in the NBA. The Kings want a veteran and any positive publicity. That's not a good enough reason to create a match made in hell.