The Kings Do Not Expect Him to Be a Mentor; Simmons Needs to Find Himself Again First

The Kings' role definition for new addition Ben Simmons is clear: they do not expect him to guide young players. According to TA, the team has not assigned Simmons the role of a veteran mentor, especially not for this year's No. 7 overall pick, Akarf.

The decision is not surprising. Simmons has just missed an entire season, and his professional approach has been questioned for years. Teams usually hope veterans can help younger players develop, but the prerequisite is that the veteran is in a good mental state and willing to accept that role. The Kings' original ideal candidate was Russell Westbrook—if he had stayed with the team, he would have been a very suitable mentor.

A mentor role does not fit Simmons' positioning, and he does not need to take on that type of leadership responsibility. After a season away from action, his first task is to rediscover his game form while also changing the outside perception that he lacks passion for basketball.

For the Kings, signing Simmons is more like a low-cost attempt. The question the team truly cares about is how much of his previous ability he can recover.