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Huffman Sports Wire — Breaking News Sunday, October 18, 2026
Ben Simmons Tears Right Achilles in Kings Practice and Will Undergo Surgery
Sacramento Kings forward Ben Simmons tore his right Achilles tendon during a live drill in practice on Sunday, October 18, and he will undergo surgery. The Kings announced the injury after an MRI confirmed the tear, and the team said further updates will be provided as appropriate. Sacramento gave no official timetable for his return.
The official announcement carried no timeline, and the reported expectation around the league is far worse than a short absence. ESPN reporting described the injury as suspected to be season-ending, and the tear is expected to cost Simmons the entire 2026-27 season. A comeback season that had drawn real optimism in Sacramento ended before the regular season even opened.
Simmons is 30 years old, and he had not played in the NBA since April 2025. He missed the entire 2025-26 season while rehabilitating the chronic back problems and leg injuries that have followed him for years. Sacramento signed him to a 1-year contract worth 3.5 million dollars in September, and he filled the final open spot on the Kings roster.
The timing hits Sacramento right at the starting line. Simmons was expected to start in the Wednesday opener against the Los Angeles Clippers after a pair of encouraging preseason appearances. Head coach Doug Christie now has to fill that spot in a starting group built around Darius Acuff, Zach LaVine, Keegan Murray and Domantas Sabonis, and Precious Achiuwa is one in-house option after starting often during the preseason.
Simmons arrived in the league as the top overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, and he won Rookie of the Year honors for the 2017-18 season with Philadelphia. He became a 3-time All-Star, and he earned All-Defensive first team honors in 2019-20 before repeating the honor in 2020-21. Sacramento offered him a fresh start after a year away from the game, and Sunday turned that fresh start into another long rehabilitation.
Sources: - [USA TODAY](https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/kings/2026/10/18/ben-simmons-injury-update-kings-achilles/92322933007/) - [NBC Sports](https://www.nbcsports.com/nba/news/kings-ben-simmons-suffers-torn-achilles-at-practice-sunday-will-miss-entire-season) - [theScore](https://www.thescore.com/nba/news/3628445/kings-simmons-suffers-torn-achilles-amid-nba-comeback) - [TSN](https://www.tsn.ca/nba/article/report-kings-g-simmons-believed-to-have-torn-achilles-tendon-n1-50214131/)