Darius Acuff Jr. Says How Ben Simmons' Injury Changes the Kings

The Sacramento Kings are certainly not expected to be a playoff contender this season, but with a sneakily talented roster, they would at least be worth watching. Their projected starting lineup of Darius Acuff Jr., Zach LaVine, Keegan Murray, Ben Simmons, and Domantas Sabonis would've been fun to watch, but a brutal injury threw a wrench in their plans.

At Sunday's practice, Simmons suffered a torn Achilles tendon that will sideline him for the entire 2026-27 season. Obviously, this is heartbreaking for everyone involved, especially Simmons, who was just a few days away from playing his first NBA game since April 2025. Now, the Kings will have to adjust to life without Simmons, and Acuff Jr. gave insight into what that is like.

"It changes a lot. He was a big part of our team. He can do everything one through five. So it changes a lot. But I think we'll figure it out for sure. It hurts to lose him, but I think we'll figure it out and try to get better at certain things that we know he did," Acuff Jr. said after practice on Monday.

Obviously, it hurts to lose a do-it-all player like Simmons. With only one real weakness in his game (shooting), Simmons brings so much to the table, and the Kings were ready to reap the benefits of having him on a veteran minimum contract.

Simmons already gave a glimpse of what he was bringing to this Kings team in preseason, when he dropped 14 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists in his only full game. His defense, playmaking, and rebounding would've been vital for this Kings team, but now they have to look for answers elsewhere.

What Simmons brought to the Kings

When asked what the biggest thing the Kings are losing in Simmons, Acuff Jr. pointed out some of his biggest strengths that they will miss.

"Offensively, when he gets the rebound, we all just run. And defensively, his switching ability, guard one through five. I think we're losing both of those big two things about him. It hurts to lose him for sure, but we've got to pick up the pieces," he said. "He still looked the same. It was great to have him out there, especially for me. It makes it easier for me on the court. It sucks losing him."

Acuff Jr. even mentions how Simmons made things easier for him, and that is one of the main reasons why fans were excited. Having another ball-handler like Simmons in the lineup was already taking pressure off the star rookie, but he was doing it in other ways too. Simmons' presence in Sacramento drew all the attention, so any criticism was now pointed toward him, rather than the 19-year-old point guard.

The Kings are obviously distraught by the news of losing Simmons for the season, and fans are no different. Fans were looking forward to this new duo of Acuff Jr. and Simmons, as regardless of what else happens this season, they were expected to be two bright spots.

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