Ben Simmons chose the Kings despite interest from the Warriors and Knicks

Ben Simmons was on the radar of several NBA teams before deciding his future. The Australian guard ended up signing a one-year, $3.5 million contract with the Sacramento Kings, but the California franchise was not the only one interested in acquiring his services. Golden State Warriors and New York Knicks also considered bringing the player on board.

The Knicks' interest is not new. The New York franchise had already shown interest in Simmons during the 2025 preseason, so the player reappears on the radar of an organization that ultimately did not succeed in acquiring him. This time, they were also unable to compete with Sacramento's offer.

Warriors and Knicks inquired about Ben Simmons

Simmons' situation in the market piqued the interest of different franchises. Among them were Golden State Warriors and New York Knicks, two teams that analyzed the possibility of incorporating the player before he eventually arrived in Sacramento.

For Simmons, the signing by the Kings represents a new opportunity to return to the NBA after a long period away from the courts.

The Australian has not played an official game since April 2025, when he was still with the Los Angeles Clippers. Since then, he has been out of competition and will now have the chance to try to regain his place in the league with Sacramento.

The Kings' decision concludes a process in which the franchise also considered other alternatives to strengthen its roster.

The Knicks had already shown interest in 2025

In the case of New York, the interest has a specific precedent.

The Knicks already inquired about Simmons during the 2025 preseason, showing that the player’s profile had previously caught the franchise's attention.

However, that possibility did not materialize either. A year later, the Knicks appeared again among the interested teams, although once again they ended up watching as Simmons chose another destination.

The repeated interest from New York shows that the franchise has continued to consider the Australian as a possible option for their roster.

Sacramento also considered other options

The Kings, for their part, did not have Simmons as the only alternative.

Before finalizing his signing, Sacramento also showed interest in Russell Westbrook and Victor Oladipo. The two players were considered by the franchise before it ultimately decided on Simmons.

The decision ultimately led Sacramento to bet on the Australian, who signed for one season in exchange for $3.5 million.

Ben Simmons seeks to regain prominence in the NBA

The next step for Simmons will be to try to prove that he can still be a useful player in the NBA.

His absence since April 2025 has made his return to competition one of the main uncertainties. The Kings have decided to give him a chance through a one-season contract, while the Warriors and Knicks ultimately missed out on the player.

For Golden State and New York, the situation shows that both teams were attentive to Simmons' market, although neither was able to finalize his signing.

The Australian will now have a new opportunity in Sacramento. After a prolonged period without playing in the NBA, his goal will be to regain his rhythm and once again demonstrate that he can have a role within a league rotation.

The Kings' decision also paints an interesting picture of the market: Simmons received interest from the Warriors and Knicks, while Sacramento simultaneously evaluated players like Westbrook and Oladipo before making its final decision.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Ben Simmons eligió a los Kings pese al interés de Warriors y Knicks