New Update in Sacramento Kings' Pursuit of Ben Simmons Amid Free Agency
The Sacramento Kings entered the NBA offseason looking to make improvements to their roster to chase a playoff spot next season.
Of course, the Kings missed the playoffs last season but their core of Domantas Sabonis, DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine and Keegan Murray are all returning next season.
Sacramento began their offseason by adding two young players in the 2025 NBA Draft in Nique Clifford and Maxime Raynaud, both of whom showed out during the Summer League.
They then landed Dennis Schroder in free agency via a sign-and-trade with the Detroit Pistons as the veteran guard will now fill their void at the starting point guard position after they traded away De'Aaron fox to the San Antoino Spurs last season.
While Schroder is a massive upgrade to their point guard position, the Kings have been linked to other veteran guards this summer including former first overall pick Ben Simmons.
On Wednesday, ESPN's Brian Windhorst provided a report that updated the Kings' pursuit of Simmons and when the 29-year-old may make his decision.
According to Windhorst, Simmons is expected to make his decision on where he will play next week.
'I'm told he's probably going to make a choice in the next week. Kings, (Phoenix) Suns, (New York) Knicks and (Boston) Celtics have all been connected to him,' Windhorst said.
Simmons would be a solid addition to the Kings' roster entering next season as he would provide them with a solid backup point guard due to his playmaking skills but he would also give them a solid wing player due to his size.
Of course, Simmons is no longer the All-Star caliber player that he once was thanks to a long list of injuries but he proved last season with the Los Angeles Clippers that he could still be a key role player off the bench for a contending team.
Despite this, Sacramento will have to compete with three other teams for him this offseason.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 23, 2025, where it first appeared.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Forbes
19 minutes ago
- Forbes
OKC Thunder's Elite Defense Isn't Finished Evolving Yet
Last season, on their path to winning an NBA championship, the Oklahoma City Thunder had one of the greatest defenses of all time. Not only did OKC lead the league in Defensive Rating by a wide margin all season, but that end of the floor drove the Thunder's historic point differential and one of the most successful regular seasons ever from a record and Net Rating standpoint. With that in mind, there's undoubtedly another level this Thunder defense can get to. As great as it was last season, there are still a few tangible things that Oklahoma City can improve on in the upcoming season on that end of the floor. It's certainly nitpicky to analyze how a historic defense could be better, but it's not out of the question that there is another gear. For starters, the easiest thing to point to is health. While Oklahoma City was healthy in the postseason, the regular season was a completely different story. This is especially true in the frontcourt, given Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein each missed significant time. The time they missed was also staggered, so the opportunity for both to play alongside each other and anchor the defense at an elite level was limited during the regular season. Furthermore, Alex Caruso not only missed time, but was also load-managed throughout the season to ensure he was healthy and in peak form for the playoffs. In addition to simply being healthier — which would lead to even higher upside on the defensive end — this is still a very young team that's developing. Holmgren will continue to improve defensively, despite already being one of the best rim protectors in the entire NBA. Cason Wallace will have another opportunity to take a leap on that end of the floor and continue proving he's arguably the most underrated defender in the entire league. And several others could step up and get better. There's a real scenario in which the Thunder has five or six players who are in the conversation for an NBA All-Defensive Team, if healthy. In terms of the on-court aspects that the Thunder can improve year-over-year on the defensive end, one key area to examine is defensive rebounding. Both in the regular season and in the playoffs, the Thunder's rebound rate was far from good. This made Oklahoma City susceptible to allowing second-chance points to opponents, which was certainly an area the team struggled with overall last season. Another glaring issue, which is somewhat schematic, is that the Thunder's defensive style allows a high volume of corner threes, which is one of the most efficient shots in the game of basketball. Again, much of this is due to the Thunder's defensive system, which tends to apply pressure at the point of attack, push ball handlers beyond the perimeter, and pick players up high above the break. But regardless, allowing corner threes is a glaring weak spot in the Thunder's defense. If a team finds a way to exploit that, it could become a real issue. Ultimately, the Thunder forces so many turnovers with the style the team plays, that corner threes generally aren't too concerning. But in theory, if a team in a seven-game playoff series found a way to generate a high volume of corner threes — and convert on those — it would certainly be something Oklahoma City would have a hard time overcoming. The last thing that Oklahoma City could, in theory, improve upon on the defensive end is finding more defensive disruptiveness deeper into the rotation, especially from players who have already proven themselves on the offensive end but are sometimes less impactful defensively. There were times in the playoffs in which players like Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins — as impactful and vital as they were on the offensive end — struggled defensively. With the way Oklahoma City plays, it takes all five guys being effective in their roles, making crisp rotations, and the right reads on the defensive end of the floor. Even if one player fails to meet that expectation, it can severely hinder the team's ability to defend at an elite level. Expect Ajay Mitchell to bring more to the Thunder's reserve unit defensively in the upcoming season, as he is now healthy and more experienced, with a high likelihood of being called upon to do more in his second season. It will be hard to maintain the elite level of defensive production and efficiency that the Oklahoma City Thunder did last season. Even being close to as good as the team was in the 2024-25 campaign again should be good enough to lead the Thunder to another top seed and a potential championship. But the fact that there are still several tangible ways this historic defense could get even better is something to keep an eye on this upcoming season, as the best team in the league could organically be even better.
Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
Kendrick Perkins Names Best NBA Defender Without Hesitation
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The 2025-26 NBA season is quickly approaching. After an action-packed 2024-25 campaign that saw the Oklahoma City Thunder emerge victorious over the Indiana Pacers in Game 7 of the NBA Finals, fans are ready to get a new year underway. With the season coming up fast, a lot of opinions are being shared about where players rank among each other throughout the league. Over the years, the league has transitioned towards offense. Gone are the days of praises being sung far and wide about elite defenders. Richard Jefferson and Kendrick Perkins attend the Ruffles NBA All-Star Celebrity Game during the 2022 NBA All-Star Weekend at Wolstein Center on February 18, 2022 in Cleveland, Ohio. Richard Jefferson and Kendrick Perkins attend the Ruffles NBA All-Star Celebrity Game during the 2022 NBA All-Star Weekend at Wolstein Center on February 18, 2022 in Cleveland, Ohio. Photo byDespite that fact, former NBA player and current ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins took some time to reveal who he believes the top defenders in the league are. Read more: Lakers Receive Massive Austin Reaves Update His list includes five worthy candidates. However, at the No. 1 spot, Thunder wing Alex Caruso came in as the pick. Behind Caruso, Perkins picked Evan Mobley, Amen Thompson, Victor Wembanyama, and Lugentz Dort. Kendrick Perkins on his top 5 current defensive players in the NBA 👀 1. Alex Caruso 2. Evan Mobley 3. Amen Thompson 4. Victor Wembanyama 5. Luguentz Dort Thoughts? 🤔 (via @ESPNNBA) — ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) August 6, 2025 Perkins' list immediately drew quite a few reactions from NBA fans on social media. They did not hesitate to share their opinions on the topic at hand. "No disrespect to these 5, but Derrick white not being on this list is insane," one fan commented. Another said, "No Bam makes the list invalid." "Solid list. Could interchange the order or a name here and there. Folks just wanna be mad about something," a third fan wrote. A fourth comment read, "No AD is crazy other than Wemby I got him best defensive player in the game." "Where is Dyson Daniels," another comment read. Notably, Perkins included two members of the championship winning Thunder on his list. Both Caruso and Dort tortured opposing offensive players all year long. Read more: Dan Patrick Goes Off on Lakers' Bronny James for Odd Reason Without Oklahoma City's two defensive geniuses, there is a very good chance that the Thunder would not have prevailed over the Pacers in the NBA Finals. Caruso has been an extremely underrated player for years. He ended the 2024-25 season averaging 7.1 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.6 steals per game, while shooting 44.6 percent overall and 35.3 percent from three-point range. Fans may not love Perkins' list, but all five names are elite defenders. Caruso receiving the pick may not have been loved by all, but he is more than deserving of being in the consideration for being the best defender in the NBA. For more on the Oklahoma City Thunder and general NBA news, head on over to Newsweek Sports.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
1 move 76ers should have made in 2025 NBA offseason
The post 1 move 76ers should have made in 2025 NBA offseason appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Philadelphia 76ers endured a horrible season, going 24-58 while enduring a plethora of injuries. Overall, everything that could go wrong did go wrong. That is why the 76ers' offseason moves aimed to fix any of their issues and prevent a future meltdown. Additionally, the goal of the 2025 NBA offseason was to add depth to their roster. But there was one thing Philadelphia did not do, and it might hurt them. The team had a chance to extend one of their better players off the bench. Notably, this player also started a handful of games and was also very reliable at tallying some points. There is also a swing of momentum currently going on in the Eastern Conference. With the Boston Celtics losing Jayson Tatum and the Indiana Pacers losing Tyrese Haliburton to injury, there is a chance to rise in the East. However, the Sixers have not fully capitalized on that, at least not on paper. Oddsmakers don't believe the Sixers can win the NBA title in the 2025-26 season. So far, they are around the middle of the pack. Losing a valuable player like Guerschon Yabusele might come back to haunt them. Ultimately, it's the one move they should have made was re-signing Yabusele. Why losing Guerschon Yabusele hurts Yabusele was not a full-time starter. However, he was a great player who could give the Sixers a great combination of size, strength, and quickness. His ability to guard forwards and guards made him valuable. Sometimes, he guarded smaller centers, which helped a lot when the team needed a break for Joel Embiid or the many games he was hurt. Yabusele was the perfect fit in coach Nick Nurse's switch-heavy system. Significantly, his ability to play multiple positions allowed some flexibility in the lineup. Yabusele also did a good job of stretching the floor. When opposing teams guarded Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, he was able to be ready in the corner to hit a three-point shot. Overall, Yabusele shot 38 percent from beyond the arc, which made other teams think twice about leaving him open. Yabusele was also good in transition and ran the floor well while helping to utilize Maxey's speed. Also, he rarely made mistakes. While he was not a dominant player, he was also good enough to avoid making reckless decisions on the court. Yabusele was very tough to play against, and he did not fear physicality. Yabusele was also a great man off the boards, giving the Sixers so many second chances. Because of that, it gave the 76ers many chances in games they otherwise would not have. What the Sixers should have done in the 2025 NBA offseason? Yabusele did not like the 76ers' offer and felt like the team did not want him. Overall, he did not warrant an expensive contract. The Knicks signed Yabusele on a two-year deal worth $12 million. It was an affordable price that the Sixers could have easily matched. Instead, the 76ers opted for Trendon Watford, who is less proven and is not as good on defense. The 76ers are over the tax line. Now they don't have the funds to find someone of his caliber. The Sixers should have found a way to match the salary the Knicks offered. In the long scheme of things, it would have given them someone who knows the system and could have helped them get back to the playoffs. Were the 76ers' offseason moves enough to replace his loss? Yabusele felt the Sixers did not have good continuity, and that prevented them from forming any chemistry. The whole point of the 76ers' offseason moves was to build a team that could sustain injuries. Overall, their 2025 NBA offseason was not terrible. Maxey remains their starting point guard, while Jared McCain returns from injury to be the starting shooting guard. Furthermore, the plan is for Quentin Grimes to return to play as a small forward, while Paul George is the power forward. Embiid returns to the middle. But what about the depth behind them? What happens when George and Embiid suffer injuries? The Sixers drafted VJ Edgecombe to possibly take over the shooting guard spot eventually. If Grimes does not return, Kelly Oubre Jr. will start at small forward, which will make the decision to let Yabusele go even worse because the lack of depth will increase at forward. Kyle Lowry and Eric Gordon return to fill in the depth in the backcourt. The 76ers' offseason moves could have given them more strength and depth. Conversely, it seemed like the Sixers did nothing but fill their backcourt. The depth behind Maxey is great, and Edgecombe could become a great player. But missing out on keeping Yabusele might come back to haunt them when they are losing the battle on the boards. Related: Nets sign former 76ers guard in free agency Related: Stephen A. Smith blasts 76ers' Daryl Morey for comments about Lakers' 2020 championship
