Ben Simmons is back in the NBA, and Draymond Green believes his arrival in Sacramento could make life considerably easier for Kings rookie Darius Acuff Jr.
Simmons signed a one-year, $3.5 million deal with the Kings after spending a year away from the league. While expectations surrounding the former No. 1 overall pick remain uncertain, Green believes his presence could take some of the spotlight away from Acuff.
“When I look at this signing, I think this is great for Darius Acuff,” Green said on The Draymond Green Show. “You have a Ben Simmons who’s eager to make it right, he’s going to give you the game. And he’s going to work his ass off. I think this is great for Darius Acuff. Let’s face it, Ben Simmons is Ben Simmons.
“This will take some of the pressure off Darius Acuff. If Ben Simmons isn’t playing well, people are going to want to point to Ben Simmons and say, ‘Hey, he’s not playing well,’ and if he is playing well, people are going to point to Ben Simmons and say, ‘Yo, look, he’s back.’ And so, I think this ultimately takes a lot of pressure off Darius Auff going into a Sacramento Kings situation that is not as great as one would like.”
Acuff enters Sacramento with plenty of responsibility after being selected seventh overall in the 2026 NBA Draft.
The Kings finished last season 22-60, although an 8-10 finish across their final 18 games pushed them outside the top five in the lottery. With Russell Westbrook retiring, Acuff could immediately find himself running Sacramento’s offense.
Green believes having Simmons alongside him could give the rookie more room to develop without carrying the entire weight of the franchise.
“I think this is a good move for Darius Auff that will allow some of the pressure to come off of Acuff and allow him to grow like rookies need to grow,” Green continued. “This is not the most ideal situation for a rookie to be in. Obviously, you got the ball alot. That could be good or bad, right? But, you know, this is a good move and I don’t think people will value this move enough.”
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