Bill Simmons in 2001: "Deep down, you know Duncan is kicking himself for staying"

[Juggity]

:lol I like Simmons, but a lot of his old NBA takes look pretty awful in retrospect (http://grantland.com/the-triangle/dancing-to-nba-offseason/)

https://espngrantland.files.wordpress.com/2001/07/51602025.jpg?w=694
GETTY IMAGESTim Duncan might have to single-handedly carry the Spurs into the playoffs.

12. “I’m a [expletive] idiot. I’m a [expletive] idiot. I’m a [expletive] idiot.”
To Tim Duncan. Deep down, you know Duncan is kicking himself for staying in San Antonio for three more years. It’s not like David Robinson is going to do better against Shaq next season. And it’s not like the Derek Anderson–Steve Smith exchange will help the team’s chances of defending Kobe Bryant next season. Orlando must be look pretttttttttty good right about now.

[Snaq O'Meal]

Deep down, Bill Simmons is a fucking idiot.

[eric365]

He was right tho.
Lakers did beat the spurs the next season in 2002

And Duncan was probably feeling this way as Parker and Ginobili were not in the picture and Orlando had great young talents

[spurs1990]

Wasn't the plan to team Duncan with Grant Hill in O-town....

Hard to blame Simmons when the potential of those two guys would have contended for a full decade.

Of course I can't recall when Hill started suffering chronic ankle issues.

[Mel_13]

Wasn't the plan to team Duncan with Grant Hill in O-town....

Hard to blame Simmons when the potential of those two guys would have contended for a full decade.

Of course I can't recall when Hill started suffering chronic ankle issues.

Hill only played 47 games over the course of his first four seasons in Orlando. Duncan would have had even less support if he had left the Spurs for the Magic.

[SupremeGuy]

He was still salty as fuck from the Celtics not getting him, tbh.

[benefactor]

He was still salty as fuck from the Celtics not getting him, tbh.
This. Butthurt Celtics fan is still butthurt all these years later.

[dbreiden83080]

Pop had yet to prove himself capable of rebuilding after 99..

[midnightpulp]

Simmons was right.

Things looked bleak after Duncan missed the '00 playoffs, which looked like it would've been the Spurs last legit shot, since the '99 supporting cast was basically on its last legs. Meanwhile, the Lakers were set up to contend for at least 5 years, while the Spurs went out and got an old Steve Smith and an inconsistent, inefficient Derek Anderson. I'm sure Duncan was secretly saying to himself, "I'm a fuckin' idiot" after the Lakers destroyed the Spurs in '01.

Thank Christ the Spurs drafted Parker and signed Bruce Bowen that off-season. The effectiveness they showed in the '02 playoffs, which resulted in a competitive series against the Lakers in which the Spurs led every game going into the 4th quarter, probably went a long way in renewing Duncan's hope that he wouldn't wind up a one-in-done flash in the pan. Those moves (as well some others, namely bringing Manu aboard and signing Stephen Jackson) paid off with a title the very next year, as we all know :)

It also demonstrated the organization's competence.

It all worked out in the end. But with Robinson aging, and the historic inability of the Spurs to attract big name players, Simmons's take was on point at the time.

[PÒÓCH]

He's always had an east coast bias IMO. I'm sure he looks down on upon our city and our people. Those Massachusetts, Maryland, New England types are all like that. It's some type of Superiority complex. Deep down inside he'd like nothing more than to see the Spurs fall from grace and Timmy join the Celtics.

[Dre_7]

Bill Simmons is salty that his Celtics didn't get Duncan, but can you really blame him? I would be salty too if my team missed out on the best big man to ever play the game. I take it as a compliment to Timmy's greatness. Simmons has always had a lot of respect for Duncan.

[Ibleedslvrnblk]

I'm reading his book right now and I like some of it while wanting to kick him in the nuts for trying so hard to be funny and cool.

[still.focused]

Hes got a clear Boston bias
But he admits it every chance he gets especially talking about Duncan
That being said hes not the only homer in this thread
Spurstalk homes will disrespect his take simply cuz its a swipe at San An
And not put 2 cents toward realizing whe was probably 100% right
The west belong to the Lakers...need proof?
The east was easily an easier conference ...we prolly beat Philly, Indy or Det in those finals
Grant Hill pre injury(which nobody saw coming) was as good a running mate as you could have
Hill was light years ahead of any Spurs player not named Duncan
It eventually turned out for the better but not until the Lakers had their way with the league/conference
No way anybody predicts Tonys play, or even Manus existence.
Dont even think we knew how great a coach Pop was at that time

You can say hes butthurt or w/e but hes also done some the best pieces on Duncan Ive ever read
The Career Arc Series he did on Tim
The video tribute from ESPN
Hes like 6th or 7th in Bills HOF pyramid
And hes gone on record saying hed take Duncans career over any player in league history except KAJ

[Mel_13]

Grant Hill pre injury(which nobody saw coming) was as good a running mate as you could have
Hill was light years ahead of any Spurs player not named Duncan

The article was written in July, 2001. Hill only played 4 games in 2000-01. The pre-injury Hill never showed up in Orlando. While the position of the Spurs was problematic in the summer of 2001, the situation in Orlando was not any better. I doubt Duncan ever had much in the way of regrets. Remember, he only signed a 3 year deal in 2000. He was going to be a free agent again at age 27 in 2003.

[SpursNextRomanEmpire]

I dig the Boogie Nights reference.

[BatManu20]

Tbh.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUbbFC_thak

[100%duncan]

:lmao

[Prose]

I remember Robinson flew into town from his vacation to convince Duncan to stay in town

[phxspurfan]

I remember in 02 after we got killed by the Lakers that the Spurs desperately needed shooting. That was the turning point, along with Manu and Parker rounding into form. We were close to being 1st round shitty for a long time if the team didn't draft well and land Brent Barry in FA.

[hater]

good journalist, but one of the weakest basketball minds in media.

[GrandeDavid]

I was at Game 5 of the Finals and sat almost within arms length of Bill Simmons and the ESPN crew. When the championship was clinched and Foreigner's "Feels Like The First Time" started playing, he was leaning against the rail with a look of awe on his face. You could tell he had so much respect for the Spurs. I'm sure he'd love to take that weak take back, but it was 13 years ago.