Ben Simmons has taken the first step to trying to rebuild his NBA career, signing with the Sacramento Kings over training camp offers from the Golden State Warriors and NBA champion New York Knicks.
However, the former All-Star may regret his decision to bypass two big-market teams in the Warriors and Knicks, both of who offered a better path to rebuilding his value than the lowly Kings who are likely to be largely irrelevant in the league this season.
Ben Simmons may regret Warriors rejection in favor of Kings deal
Simmons unsurprisingly took the more guaranteed path with Sacramento, rather than compete in a training camp battle he may have lost against recently signed Golden State guard Brandon Williams, or the host of players New York have recently added to their roster which includes former second overall pick James Wiseman.
Yet if Simmons had backed himself to make the opening night roster of either team, their place on the national stage offered a greater opportunity to restore the value and reputation that's taken a major hit in the last five years.
The Knicks are...well the Knicks. They've always got a huge following and will even more so now that they're reigning champions. The Warriors, meanwhile, may not be genuine championship contenders anymore, but the presence of Stephen Curry still makes them one of the most watched teams in the league.
As for the Kings, they'll be one of the least watched teams in the league. Even if Simmons manages to play well and become a legitimate rotation player for Sacramento, it's not going to generate anywhere near the hype that it would with Golden State or New York.
Ben Simmons may prefer low-pressure Kings environment
This might also be the exact reason, along with more contract security, as to why Simmons chose to head to the Kings as opposed to the Warriors or Knicks. His mentality has obviously been a huge question mark over the last half decade, and would suggest that he may have more chance to flourish in a low-pressure environment in Sacramento.
Everything is amplified at big franchises like Golden State or New York. As much as Simmons would garner greater praise and increased value if he played well, he'd equally draw more criticism if things went badly.
Perhaps there's a stage in the near future where Simmons is willing to take the responsibility and pressure at a big team. For now, he gets the opportunity to revive his career off Broadway at the lowly Kings.
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