LSU Professional Athletes

After a year away from professional basketball, LSU's most polarizing NBA export is back under the brightest possible spotlight.

Ben Simmons inked a one-year, $3.5 million deal with the Sacramento Kings ahead of the 2026-27 season, capping a comeback that drew attention from multiple franchises — including the Golden State Warriors and, reportedly, the New York Knicks, who kept the door slightly ajar even after Sacramento moved first. The contract isn't without its fine print: Simmons reportedly must make the Kings' opening-night roster to secure his full payout, a clause that gives Sacramento financial protection while putting the onus squarely on the former No. 1 pick to earn his spot.

The basketball world's reaction has been anything but quiet.

The Hype

Former NBA champion Richard Jefferson went on ESPN's The Aussie Hoops Hour and refused to rule out a Simmons All-Star appearance — a take that raised eyebrows but wasn't entirely without logic. If Simmons, a three-time All-Star before injuries and controversies derailed his career, can rediscover even a fraction of his playmaking and defensive dominance, the Kings' calculus changes considerably. Sports Illustrated framed it plainly: a genuine Simmons comeback season would shift everything for a Sacramento franchise still finding its footing in a rebuild. Draymond Green chimed in as well, calling the Simmons signing "great" — specifically for Kings rookie Darius Acuff Jr., who stands to benefit from playing alongside a ball-handler of Simmons' caliber.

The Backlash

Not everyone was celebrating. Patrick Beverley publicly questioned whether Simmons deserves an NBA roster spot, calling the comeback "unfair" — an apparent reference to players like Victor Oladipo, who have been grinding for opportunities while Simmons sat out an entire season. Simmons didn't let it slide. He fired back directly, saying, "I worked my ass off," and pushed back on Beverley's framing with a clarity he hasn't always shown off the court. Beverley, for his part, doubled down, framing his criticism around competitive equity rather than personal animosity.

The dust-up added a layer of genuine drama to what was already a closely watched signing.

Meanwhile, in Charlotte

LSU's Naz Reid is opening a new chapter of his own. Acquired by the Charlotte Hornets in the blockbuster trade that sent LaMelo Ball to Minnesota, Reid arrives as a veteran presence on a team explicitly rebuilding around Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel. The Timberwolves had also dangled Reid in reported trade discussions with the Boston Celtics before ultimately including him in the Ball deal. Previews of his first season in Charlotte have framed him as a stabilizing force — a role Reid has capably filled before coming off the bench in Minnesota.

In Houston

Tari Eason enters 2026-27 as part of a Houston Rockets forward group now headlined by Kevin Durant. A preview of the Rockets' small forward depth ranked Eason as a key contributor alongside Bogdan Bogdanovic — a validation of the developmental trajectory the former LSU standout has been on since entering the league.

The Ben Simmons comeback remains the story that eclipses everything else. Whether it ends in redemption or becomes another chapter in one of the NBA's most complicated careers, Tiger fans will be watching Sacramento closely this fall.

Ben Simmons Is Back — and Sacramento Is the Unlikely Stage

The most complicated comeback story in recent NBA memory has a new chapter. Ben Simmons, the three-time All-Star and LSU's most polarizing pro export, has agreed to a one-year, $3.5 million deal with the Sacramento Kings ahead of the 2026–27 season, his agents confirmed. It's a bet-on-yourself contract for a player who has spent the better part of three years trying to remind the league he still belongs in it.

Simmons last appeared in an NBA game during the LA Clippers' 2025 first-round playoff series against the Denver Nuggets — a series that ended his tenure in Los Angeles after just 18 games played that season. He was traded to the Clippers from Brooklyn, and by the time he arrived, the basketball world had largely written him off. A $3.5 million deal — a fraction of the max money that once defined his market value — underscores how far the pendulum has swung.

And yet, there's a credible case to be made for Simmons at this price point. Sacramento's front office clearly saw something during offseason workouts that made the risk worth taking. At his best, Simmons is a switchable, playmaking point-forward who can guard four positions, push in transition, and quarterback a half-court offense without needing to shoot. None of those skills require the jumper that has haunted him. What they do require is health, focus, and a basketball environment that actually fits — three things that haven't aligned for Simmons since his final seasons in Philadelphia.

ClutchPoints framed the deal bluntly: a Simmons redemption arc in Sacramento "would be an all-time upset." That's not wrong. But it's also worth remembering that before the narrative spiral, Simmons was a legitimate Defensive Player of the Year candidate and a first-team All-NBA talent. The floor here isn't nothing.

For LSU fans, it's a storyline worth tracking closely. Simmons was a one-and-done Tiger in 2015–16, but his professional career has become a referendum on potential versus output that no other Tiger alum has had to navigate. If Sacramento gives him a functioning role and the Kings' up-tempo system suits his skill set, the conversation could shift by February.

The Rest of the Tiger Alumni Landscape

Simmons dominates the headlines this week, but the broader LSU contingent across the NBA is worth keeping tabs on as rosters finalize ahead of training camps. Naz Reid, now with the Charlotte Hornets, enters the season as one of the more versatile big men in the Eastern Conference. Cameron Thomas — one of the league's most reliable bucket-getters — brings his scoring punch to Milwaukee. Tari Eason continues to develop his two-way game in Houston, while Trendon Watford looks to carve out a consistent role in New Orleans.

The Tigers have quietly built a respectable NBA footprint. But for now, all eyes are on Sacramento — and whether Ben Simmons can finally give LSU fans a professional storyline with a satisfying ending.