October 18, 2026Updated October 19, 2026, 12:14 a.m. ET
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The Sacramento Kings were excited to enter the 2026-27 regular season relatively injury-free, but the team was dealt a major blow just days before the regular season opener.
Newly signed forward Ben Simmons suffered a torn right Achilles tendon during a live drill in practice on Sunday, Oct. 18, the Kings announced.
“An MRI revealed a torn right Achilles tendon and Simmons will undergo surgery. Further updates will be provided as appropriate,” the Kings said.
ESPN reported that the injury is believed to end Simmons’ season.
Simmons was making his highly anticipated return to the NBA after signing with the Kings, filling their last open spot, a person with knowledge of the team told USA TODAY Sports. Simmons signed a one-year deal worth $3.5 million with the Kings, according to ESPN.
Simmons’ deal with Sacramento gave him a fresh start in the league as he regained game feel and conditioning.
“I come to work hard, play the game I know how to play,” Simmons told USA TODAY during training camp about what he brings to the Kings. “Just communicate and lead. Lead the way I know how. So it’s been good. We’re locked in, focused.”
Simmons has missed time throughout his career due to chronic back problems and a series of leg injuries. He took last year off, missing the entire 2025-26 season to rehab his body from his lingering injuries. He also battled mental adversity throughout his career.
Simmons, 30, was entering his eighth NBA season and first season with the Kings. He was named NBA Rookie of the Year for the 2017-18 season and was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team twice (in 2019-20 and 2020-21) as a member of the Philadelphia 76ers. He was also named third team All-NBA in 2019-20.
He has career averages of 15.8 points, 8.1 rebounds, 8.2 assists, 1.7 steals and 0.9 blocks per game.
Simmons makes poignant statement after injury
Despite the heartbreaking diagnosis, Simmons remained positive and determined in a statement he posted to his Instagram Story on Sunday evening.
“I have faced challenges before that have taxed me mentally, physically, and emotionally, and I have found a way to overcome each of them. This injury is another chapter in my journey, not the end of my story,” Simmons wrote.
“It’s never easy being away from the game I love, especially after everything it took to get back here. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that adversity doesn’t define you. How you respond to it does.
“I’ve been knocked down before and I’ve always found a way to get back up. This time will be no different.”
Simmons played well during the Kings preseason
There were shades of the three-time NBA All-Star during the Kings’ preseason games. Simmons averaged 5.0 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game in the preseason.
He was expected to work his way into the starting lineup, playing alongside Darius Acuff, Domantas Sabonis, Keegan Murray and Zach LaVine. The team felt that his acquisition would add versatility to their roster, where Simmons could defend every position on the court, making Sacramento a bigger team.
However, he will not return to the courts immediately and risks missing his second consecutive season.
ESPN just featured Simmons in an E60 documentary called “Being Ben” that aired Sunday afternoon. The documentary, hosted by ESPN Editor-in-Chief Marc Spears, follows Simmons, going behind the scenes and discussing Simmons’ thoughts and emotions in depth upon his return to the NBA.
Ben Simmons injury history
Health has been a major concern for Simmons throughout his NBA tenure.
He entered the NBA as a true star, coming out of LSU where he averaged 19.2 points, 11.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists, two steals and nearly a block per game as a freshman in 2015-16.
He was always seen as a guy who could do a little bit of anything and everything on the field. After the 76ers selected him with the No. 1 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, Simmons missed the entire 2016-17 season after rolling his ankle during his first practice, fracturing his right foot and ankle – which did not heal throughout the season.
Simmons then played almost every game for Philadelphia over his next two seasons, earning three straight All-Star nominations before injuries began to increase again following the 2020-21 season.
The first was the fiasco when the Sixers lost a 2021 Eastern Conference Semifinals series to the Atlanta Hawks in seven games, infamous for Simmons missing a wide-open layup or dunk under the basket with 3:30 left as Philadelphia trailed 88-86.
During the offseason, Simmons requested a trade, resisted the team and did not report to training camp, stating he was out to deal with his mental health. He ended up missing the entire 2021-22 season due to a back injury in addition to mental health and trade toughness hurdles.
Simmons was eventually traded to the Brooklyn Nets in February 2022. He returned the following season, but was limited to just 43 games as he dealt with a number of knee injuries and lingering back issues.
His back problems continued into the following season in 2023-24, where he played in 15 games for the Nets before being shut down due to persistent back pain, which ultimately required surgery.
During the 2024-25 season, Simmons played in 33 games for the Nets before being cut. He signed with the Los Angeles Clippers in February 2025, but only appeared in 18 games as he struggled with his physical health and athletic mobility. He became a free agent after that season and missed the entire 2025-26 season to rehab his body.
He felt like he was back, signing with Sacramento in the offseason, with optimism that his injuries were behind him.
The Sacramento Kings’ projected starting five
With Simmons now out indefinitely, the Kings have a decision to make before their season opener regarding their starting lineup. Sacramento begins the 2026-27 regular season with a game against the Clippers in Los Angeles on Wednesday, October 21.
Here is their projected starting lineup following Simmons’ injury:
- Darius Acuff Jr., guard
- Zach LaVine, guard
- Deandre Hunter, forward
- Keegan Murray, forward
- Domantas Sabonis, center
What was Ben Simmons’ best season in the NBA?
A case could be made for either the 2019-20 season or the 2020-21 season with the Philadelphia 76ers.
- In 2019-20, Simmons’ third full season with the team, he led the league in interceptions and finished fourth in Defensive Player of the Year voting. Simmons made the All-Defensive First Team and All-NBA Third Team and earned his second All-Star nod. He averaged 16.4 points, 8.0 assists, 7.8 rebounds and 2.1 steals while shooting 58% from the field.
- In 2020-21, his final season with Philadelphia, Simmons was a runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year behind Rudy Gobert, made the All-Defensive first team for the second straight season, finished 12th in MVP voting and was an All-Star for the third straight season. He averaged 14.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, 6.9 assists, 1.6 steals while shooting 55.7% from the field.
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