Kawhi Leonard sends best wishes to Kings’ Ben Simmons after Achilles tear appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Sacramento Kings planned to rely on Ben Simmons this season, but his Achilles injury has Doug Christie’s team looking into trade possibilities. Simmons broke the silence on his devastating injury recently, as did Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard, who had a message for his fallen hoops colleague.
Leonard did not realize Simmons wasn’t playing this year until he was asked about it, causing a spur-of-the-moment reaction.
“You’re saying he’s not playing this year? I didn’t know that, damn, that’s sad,” the Raptors star said. “He has another year, he’s still (young), yeah, just God Bless him, hope he stays strong and just keep grinding, if he locks in in this 2026, you can come back from an Achilles injury, so God Bless him and I hope he has a strong recovery.”
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Simmons last played 18 games with the Los Angeles Clippers in 2024-25. He averaged 2.9 points per game and 3.8 rebounds per game that season, settling in as a role player. Now 30 years old, Simmons still has time to recover and make an NBA comeback, but it looks like a tough road due to the severity of his injury.
Coach Christie’s Kings have reportedly been eyeing a trade with the Memphis Grizzlies following Simmons’ injury, as they are in need of more depth on the perimeter and more rebounding, two voids that Simmons would have filled.
NBA fans and peers alike know the effort Simmons has put into his career, which hasn’t gone as expected in recent years. He will work to get back to the court in 2027, but for now, he is hearing from fellow players as he prepares to start another rehab process.
Related: NBA rumors: Kings also talking to Bucks about trade after Ben Simmons injury
Related: NBA rumors: Kings eyeing Grizzlies trade after Ben Simmons’ season-ending injury