Why Sacramento is the perfect spot for Ben Simmons to rebuild his career

The Ben Simmons saga continues to rumble on, with no end in sight.

According to a new report from ESPN, the All-Star guard has told the Philadelphia 76ers that he would like a fresh start on a new team where “he could make mistakes”.

It’s a move that makes a lot of sense for Simmons at this point. In the high-pressure environment of Philadelphia, the weaknesses of his game have been exposed on the biggest stage. Moving to a new situation, away from the demands of competing for a title every year, could reignite his career.

Ben Simmons wants to move on from the Philadelphia 76ers, and the Sacramento Kings might just be the most sensible move for the former All-Star.

And of all the possible situations to land in, the Sacramento Kings might just be the best suited for Simmons right now.

That might sound odd, given that the Kings have an abysmal record in recent years which has seen the franchise miss out on the playoffs for 16 straight seasons. But that is exactly why it is a good situation for Simmons to land in.

There is little expectation in Sacramento. The aim, once again, remains to get into the playoffs and start playing postseason basketball again. Simmons wouldn’t be arriving as the guy who can lead the Kings to a title in the short-term or even get them competing again. His goal would be to get the team to around a .500 record and into the playoffs.

Every NBA situation of course carries pressure. The team is under stress to break that terrible playoff run. But Simmons playing in an environment where there is no recent record of winning affords him more time to, as he reportedly told the 76ers, “make mistakes”.

And even though Sacramento finished with a sub .500 record once again last year, the team still has a lot of talent that Simmons could gel with on the court. De’Aaron Fox is the most likely candidate to be the center of a trade, and it’s conceivable that Daryl Morey would ask for more despite Simmons’ trade value being the lowest it’s been after his recent playoff performances.

But he would still be left with plenty of quality around him, and most importantly guys that can shoot. The perfect team for Simmons would consist of plenty of floor spacers to provide the room for him to drive to the basket and as options to kick out to on the perimeter.

Buddy Hield is perhaps the best pure shooter in the NBA right now, Tyrese Haliburton shot over 40 percent from three last year and Harrison Barnes shot just under that rate from deep. This team has the types of players needed to best complement Simmons, and his arrival could bring the best out of both the team and himself individually.

As long as Simmons is in Philadelphia, he will always be the number two guy behind Joel Embiid. That’s no knock on Simmons, merely a reflection of just how dominant a player the center has become in recent seasons.

Despite not always looking like the best fit, the duo has worked well together in Philadelphia. Embiid was an MVP candidate last year only to be held back by injury and the pair outscored opposing teams by 16.5 points per 100 possessions last season, according to Philly Sports Network.

But Embiid’s presence has meant Simmons has had to take a more limited role on the team. Moving somewhere where he could become the main focus of the team and could grow more offensively by being given more freedom to make mistakes, may well bring out the best in him.

The Sacramento Kings could truly be Ben Simmons’ team

Simmons could become the leader of this Sacramento team, taking on a greater responsibility without the presence of another All-Star. It would certainly be interesting to see him put in a position where he is relied upon more for the franchise’s overall success and the team was tuned to his offensive game, rather than Embiid’s.

Getting a trade to his beloved, sunny California is also a nice bonus to playing in Sacramento too, and certainly adds to the appeal of a potential trade.

Ultimately, however, the Kings would have to give up a lot to get Ben Simmons. De’Aaron Fox has continued to get better during his short time in the NBA and averaged a highly impressive 25.2 points per game last season. A straight swap makes sense for both teams, but Simmons’ reputation as an All-Star and one of the best defensive players in the league could mean Philly wants more than Fox.

And from Sacramento’s perspective, whether they would want to give up a 25-point-per-game scorer who is still just 23 for a player that refuses to shoot away from the basket and cannot make a free throw is questionable too.

A new situation won’t fix Simmons’ weaknesses on its own. The 25-year-old has failed to make the significant improvements needed in his game since being drafted, especially when it comes to shooting the basketball and his lack of willingness to diversify his offensive game.

It seems that a lot of the problems are due more to the mental aspect of his game rather than his actual ability, as shown through his decision to pass up a dunk against the Atlanta Hawks in last season’s playoffs. That is an issue Ben Simmons has to overcome if he is to reach his high ceiling.

Moving on from Philadelphia can help aid that process. And if he is intent on a trade, Sacramento makes a lot of sense as a possible destination for the Australian.