Ben Simmons reportedly impressed during a recent workout in Florida, where Sacramento Kings general manager Scott Perry was among the NBA executives evaluating the former All-Star.

“Somebody who was at those workouts said that Ben Simmons ‘looked fantastic,’” Carmichael Dave said, adding another positive report to Simmons’ attempt to return to the league after missing the entire 2025-26 season.

Perry attended Simmons’ workout Tuesday as the 30-year-old Australian guard continues to seek an NBA opportunity. Sacramento’s presence provides a direct indication that the Kings are at least evaluating whether Simmons can return to a productive role after several injury-affected seasons.

Simmons last played in 2024-25, appearing in 51 games between the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Clippers. He averaged 5.0 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.6 assists in 22.0 minutes per game while shooting 52.0% from the field.

The workout report is encouraging, but Simmons’ availability remains the central question for any interested team. He did not play during the 2025-26 season after appearing in 42 games in 2022-23, 15 games in 2023-24 and 51 games in 2024-25.

At his Philadelphia peak, Simmons was one of the league’s most versatile players. From 2017-18 through 2020-21, he averaged at least 14.3 points, 6.9 assists and 7.2 rebounds in each of his four full seasons.

His résumé includes the 2018 Rookie of the Year award, three consecutive All-Star selections from 2019 through 2021 and two All-Defensive First Team honors. Simmons also finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting in 2020-21.

For Sacramento, the evaluation comes after a 22-60 season that tied the franchise for the NBA’s second-worst record. The Kings have reshaped their roster by waiving DeMar DeRozan, moving forward after Russell Westbrook’s retirement and selecting Arkansas guard Darius Acuff Jr. with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

The roster changes have also removed significant playmaking from last season’s rotation. Westbrook averaged 6.7 assists per game for Sacramento, while DeRozan averaged 4.1, creating a potential opening for another ball-handler if the Kings believe Simmons can contribute.

Simmons could also provide a different type of option because of his 6-foot-10 size, transition playmaking and defensive versatility. Those attributes remain valuable, but his fit would depend heavily on whether he can stay healthy and regain enough of his previous athleticism to play consistently.

Sacramento’s younger core already includes rookie center Maxime Raynaud, who averaged 12.5 points and 7.5 rebounds across 74 games, while Acuff represents a long-term investment at point guard. That makes Perry’s attendance at the workout more consistent with a broader roster evaluation than evidence of an imminent signing.