Thirteen Kings players saw action during the team’s preseason opener vs. the Lakers on Monday, but Ben Simmons wasn’t one of them, as the former No. 1 overall pick was inactive for the game.

According to Marc J. Spears of Andscape (Twitter link), while Simmons is healthy and has had a strong training camp, the team wants to take a cautious approach to his ramp-up process after he sat out all of last season, so his preseason debut figures to happen on either Thursday against the Lakers or Saturday vs. the Warriors.

We have more from around the Pacific:

• Asked by Spears in an ESPN interview (YouTube link) whether he’s interested in becoming the “face of the franchise” for the Clippers following the Kawhi Leonard trade, point guard Darius Garland suggested he’s fully prepared to take on that responsibility. “It’s definitely something that I want,” Garland said. “I think I’ve been through a lot in this career and I think I’m ready to take on the reins of that. Especially in year eight, I think I’ve actually found myself a little bit and I know where I want to get to.” Garland added that the toe problem that limited him to 45 games last season is now “100%.”
• Speaking to Anthony Slater of ESPN (Twitter video link), Warriors head coach Steve Kerr explained why he wasn’t surprised by Stephen Curry signing an extension worth less than his max, discussed Yaxel Lendeborg’s projected role, and lauded Mike Dunleavy Jr. for the job he has done with the roster as the team attempts to transition from one era to the next. “Mike’s been drafting really well,” Kerr said. “We’ve got good young players. We’ll have a ton of cap space next summer. We’ve got all our draft picks going forward.”
• Following the Warriors’ preseason opener on Sunday, veteran forward Draymond Green explained why his new offensive role represents a “big adjustment” while expressing confidence that he’ll “figure it out,” writes Dan Dempster of NBC Sports Bay Area. Green is expected to spend less time directing Golden State’s offense up top in Kerr’s new five-out system.