What a nightmare. Before he was even able to make his regular season debut with the Sacramento Kings, three-time NBA All-Star Ben Simmons might be done for the year. At practice on Sunday, Simmons is believed to have suffered a torn Achilles tendon, according to ESPN's Shams Charania.
"Just in: Sacramento Kings guard Ben Simmons is believed to have sustained a torn Achilles tendon at practice Sunday, sources tell ESPN. A suspected season-ending injury for Simmons after rejuvenated and impressive training camp and preseason performances," Charania reported.
Just in: Sacramento Kings guard Ben Simmons is believed to have sustained a torn Achilles tendon at practice Sunday, sources tell ESPN. A suspected season-ending injury for Simmons after rejuvenated and impressive training camp and preseason performances. pic.twitter.com/v4HBvCbgQF
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 18, 2026
This is just heartbreaking news for the Kings and Simmons, who spent the entire 2025-26 season rehabbing. Simmons had an obvious injury history, but this is just a freak accident that derails his NBA comeback and potentially one of the best stories in the league this season.
What's next for the Kings
It is hard to process what this means for the Kings, given we have yet to actually see Simmons in action outside of two preseason appearances, but it is still an obvious blow to what they had planned this season.
Simmons was expected to start on opening night against the L.A. Clippers on Wednesday, and after what he has shown throughout the offseason, training camp, and preseason, we assumed he had a big season in store.
Now, the Kings will have to go back to what they had in mind before signing Simmons late in the offseason. This means we will likely see De'Andre Hunter re-enter the starting lineup, or Precious Achiuwa potentially get the nod, but with Maxime Raynaud and Dylan Cardwell also sidelined with injuries, the Kings need Achiuwa as a backup center.
— Oh No He Didn't 🤯 (@ohnohedidnt24) October 18, 2026
In their preseason finale, Simmons showed a glimpse of what he would've been capable of this season, dropping 14 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists. Simmons obviously has the talent to compete in the NBA still, and as soon as he regained his confidence and was healthy again, he tore his Achilles tendon. Truly gut-wrenching stuff.
The Kings will have to lean on their veterans to step up in Simmons's absence. The former first-overall pick was expected to play a huge role in Sacramento this season, but now they need guys like Hunter, Achiuwa, Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine, and Keegan Murray to all step up on both sides of the ball.
Simmons would've made everyone's life easier in the starting lineup, especially star rookie Darius Acuff Jr., so hopefully they can find his playmaking and defensive output elsewhere.
They could turn to free agency to bring in another veteran. The Kings just waived Elfrid Payton from their training camp roster, but they might rethink that decision now that Simmons is hurt. They made it clear they wanted a veteran ball-handler, and they might turn to external options to fill the newfound void.
The Kings open their regular season on Wednesday in Los Angeles at 7:30 p.m. PT, but will have to do it without Simmons in the lineup. We can hope that he can return at some point this season, but according to Charania, things are already looking grim. This could put his NBA future in jeopardy, but obviously we hope to see him in a Kings uniform again.
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