Simmons reminds me of...

[DDUBB1770]

I would like to see him start for the reasons that Tim / LA can hide his defensive lapses and it takes the pressure off Danny and allows him to concentrate on his defense which is the sore spot of the 2nd team rotation.

[cd98]

Some of us have been following Simmons since summer league, and we have seen him make very good progress. I don't think many of us believe he is a starting caliber player against every team in the league at this point. But based on BOTH Danny's struggles AND Simmons' progress, many of us are hoping that his development will continue in the same trajectory and might even accelerate if he were to start - especially against middle and lower tier teams. I, for one, am not rooting for Simmons more than I am rooting for Danny. Ideally Danny will return to form and Simmons will continue to develop into a starting caliber player in his own right. Two weapons are better than one.

In addition, a few of us hope (dream?) that Simmons will be able to step into the Manu role when he retires. (Do not misunderstand: I do not expect Simmons to fill Manu's legendary sneakers, but provide a similar multi-dimensional athletic spark when he enters a game.) So with that in mind, I hope that he becomes a starting caliber leader of the second unit - but that is probably not gonna happen this year.

One thing that has been said in other threads is that pairing Simmons with Kawhi seems to work very well for both players at present. So whether Simmons starts or not, I hope that pairing is maximized.

OP compared Simmons to RJ and Simmons is not near as good. He's not even better than RJ's Spur years. Hence overrating. He's as best a low minute guy that can give rotation players rest against scrub teams and in blow outs. And LMA is no where near RJ2. That's so re ed that I don't even know how to respond. LMA is part of the reason we have the 2nd best record while resting vets. Would OP prefer injured Splitter and dunked on Baynes to a proven lo post scorer, a 2nd shot blocker/rebounder, and improving midrange shooter?

[cd98]

I would like to see him start for the reasons that Tim / LA can hide his defensive lapses and it takes the pressure off Danny and allows him to concentrate on his defense which is the sore spot of the 2nd team rotation.

Simmons is turnover prone.Not Manu-turnover, where most of his are trying to create, but just dumb turnover, like last night when he gave the ball up in the middle of the court for a fast break dunk. More minutes mean more turnover.Green played less minutes because Pop was resting his starters for the back to back against Atlanta, where he will need Green’s defense (and at some point, hopefully he’ll start knocking down those threes again).
ns is

[TrainOfThought5]

What did Danny Green bring to the starting unit last night that Simmons cant?

[itzsoweezee]

What did Danny Green bring to the starting unit last night that Simmons cant?

The key phrase in your statement is last night. Jsimm isn't close to the shooter/defender that Danny is. Simmons simply can't impact the game without the ball in his hands like Danny does.

[DMC]

Simmons has "I need to stay in the NBA" energy, but it remains to be seen where his peak is. I do like his energy though. That 1st unit was ing lethargic. When is that going to be addressed? It's not LMA. I think it could be a combination of Leonard trying to assert himself on then offensive end and the rest of the team trying to involve LMA.

[sasaint]

OP compared Simmons to RJ and Simmons is not near as good. He's not even better than RJ's Spur years. Hence overrating. He's as best a low minute guy that can give rotation players rest against scrub teams and in blow outs. And LMA is no where near RJ2. That's so re ed that I don't even know how to respond. LMA is part of the reason we have the 2nd best record while resting vets. Would OP prefer injured Splitter and dunked on Baynes to a proven lo post scorer, a 2nd shot blocker/rebounder, and improving midrange shooter?

Not sure why you revisited LMA. I didn't mention him. I don't really discuss him with posters who don't/refuse to acknowledge his talent and/or contribution to the team. Sounds like you and I are in substantial agreement about LaMarcus.

As for Simmons, I didn't really address the RJ comparison. I don't disagree that Simmns is not currently better than RJ. But he is currently much more aggressive than RJ ever was as a Spur, and that gives me ultimately higher hopes for Simmons. Basically you describe the player he is, while I am speaking in terms of his "improvement" and "trajectory". Perhaps you disagree with my assessment of his potential, but I don't necessarily disagree with your assessment of his current play.

[TrainOfThought5]

The key phrase in your statement is last night. Jsimm isn't close to the shooter/defender that Danny is. Simmons simply can't impact the game without the ball in his hands like Danny does.

At what point has danny green brought us great shooting and defense this season? Hes shooting less than 30% for the season from 3. And is so bad on D that he was benched to start the half. Pop is fed up and so am i.

[SAGirl]

Simmons simply can't impact the game without the ball in his hands like Danny does.

Agree with this. We have to remember Danny affects the game with gravity even if he doesn't have the ball.

Overall, I am rooting for both guys, but its obvious we are not a championship team if we are starting J.Simms or Anderson. At this point, even if either guy were to start, it would be to get Danny's head in the right spot, and I don't think Pop would do that, at least not yet.

I am reminded last year when ppl were claiming for Pop to bench Tony and Tony went through a very cold stretch when he shot and played poorly and Pop famously said:
"If Tony Parker is not the Tony Parker of past years, we are not winning the championship."

Whether the old man was stubborn or not, he knew Tony still had a vital role in the team and if he could not do it, no one else could do it at the level that he had done it in the past. We had guys who could step in and give you other things, but not give you what Tony was supposed to give last season's team.

I see the same with Danny. While we have other guys we can try at starting SG, none of the other wings can perform DG's role and give the same things he's capable of giving us when he's playing well... and if he's not playing well we might be doomed, bc no one else is going to give us exactly those things.

We dont need the starting SG to be slashing, as much as we need him to be taking all the quickie perimeter threats, playing solid D without fouling and hitting 3s at a good rate. If Danny can't give us this things, we might be doomed in the end.

[8FOR!3]

Jonathan Simmons reminds me of Alonzo Gee. Crazy athletic, not a great shooter but can drive and pass.

[steeledl]

Alonzo gee..... This guy has done more as a spur in the first 3rd of season than gee ever did.

[Kawhitstorm]

A bigger Smush Parker

[littlecoyotecoin]

Simmons is turnover prone.Not Manu-turnover, where most of his are trying to create, but just dumb turnover, like last night when he gave the ball up in the middle of the court for a fast break dunk. More minutes mean more turnover.Green played less minutes because Pop was resting his starters for the back to back against Atlanta, where he will need Green’s defense (and at some point, hopefully he’ll start knocking down those threes again).
ns is

This is far too dogmatic. I agree with you that Simmons is not RJ quality, but to suggest more minutes equals more turnovers is silly, really. With young, new, raw, rookie, etc guys like him, even vets, it should be almost expected, a given, that they are going to have higher turnover rates than their future experienced selves. More minutes, if they've got good coaching and some talent, might actually lead to the exact opposite. Fewer turnovers. Case in point Ray McCallum. Third string, minimally experienced, noob Spur. He was having some turnover issues in his first few games in spot minutes. Last night: most minutes he's logged as a Spur, zero turnovers.

The other night Cojo made an ugly Danny Green sort of turnover in Toronto vs us, and he's on his 5th year and four under Pop, and ST loves the stiff.

Simmons' turnover at midcourt was out of control and not smart, but he was trying to push the pace, which is his skillset, and he made a mistake. Not the end of the world, nor deserving to be written off. It's a process. He'll come through or not, but let's be patient. I think he has shown some improvement. If he can improve on D and hit the corner 3 in the next year or two, he's going to be a freakin' find.

[TD 21]

He's nothing like Jefferson or Gee. Even in his prime, Jefferson was never a creator and Gee never has been either.

Simmons, if he's to make it long term, will have to be along the lines of Evans, Burks or Stephenson (a few years back, when he was credible, if overrated).

The problem with Anderson and Simmons, is both are unlikely to ever be above average, high volume three-point shooters. So even if/when they both look like rotation players, the only way they can work together, is if Anderson is turned into a PF and they find another wing who is (Bertans?). But Diaw probably isn't going anywhere in the near future, so it'll probably remain an either/or situation.

[Yuixafun]

lol reading this thread right now, and then Simmons is being interviewed on tv in the background....

[lilbthebasedgod]

lol reading this thread right now, and then Simmons is being interviewed on tv in the background....

What did they say?

[Yuixafun]

Man that was an endearing short interview, from his open tryout to the burgeoning chemistry with KL, and the dunk from last night. I especially dug him saying how if he didn't go the Austin route he would have "gone over seas and got lost in the shuffle, but probably would have liked it and stayed there" and his mom story made me grin. Seems like a good character dude giving everything he has.

When they brought up the dunk he sort gave a cheshire cat smile, and said coyly "yea I grew up in Texas, I know they don't have a lot of dunking going on over here in San Antonio. I just know that dunks makes the crowd hype and their energy helps us out. I think it helped with our win last night"

And the Mom story, just when he gave her the call "she said... loorrd... are you lyiiiing (in a mom imitating voice), she's just so happy for me" etc... but the demeanor he had when he spoke about it, makes you feel like you want to go make your mom proud now lol.

With the KL chemistry, he just said it comes from playing basketball... I think they're kindred spirits and it will continue to blossom

[Yuixafun]

Simmons has "I need to stay in the NBA" energy...

LOL!

[wildbill2u]

Simmons kinda reminds me of a bull in a china shop. Sometimes he takes that energy and determines he's gonna drive or go through a screen no matter what other players are in his way. Then he ends up with a foul or a TO. Or sometimes he can't finish at the rim, but gets bailed out by a shooting foul. If you notice, he's scoring more points on foul shots than made FGs/ He's a wild man on the floor at times.

I think he is just trying too hard to impress Pop and needs to use a little more good BB IQ and he'll be even more valuable. He's getting more minutes as it is than I thought he'd get.

[ceperez]

Man that was an endearing short interview, from his open tryout to the burgeoning chemistry with KL, and the dunk from last night. I especially dug him saying how if he didn't go the Austin route he would have "gone over seas and got lost in the shuffle, but probably would have liked it and stayed there" and his mom story made me grin. Seems like a good character dude giving everything he has.

When they brought up the dunk he sort gave a cheshire cat smile, and said coyly "yea I grew up in Texas, I know they don't have a lot of dunking going on over here in San Antonio. I just know that dunks makes the crowd hype and their energy helps us out. I think it helped with our win last night"

And the Mom story, just when he gave her the call "she said... loorrd... are you lyiiiing (in a mom imitating voice), she's just so happy for me" etc... but the demeanor he had when he spoke about it, makes you feel like you want to go make your mom proud now lol.

With the KL chemistry, he just said it comes from playing basketball... I think they're kindred spirits and it will continue to blossom

Where did you see this interview?

[steeledl]

Man that was an endearing short interview, from his open tryout to the burgeoning chemistry with KL, and the dunk from last night. I especially dug him saying how if he didn't go the Austin route he would have "gone over seas and got lost in the shuffle, but probably would have liked it and stayed there" and his mom story made me grin. Seems like a good character dude giving everything he has.

When they brought up the dunk he sort gave a cheshire cat smile, and said coyly "yea I grew up in Texas, I know they don't have a lot of dunking going on over here in San Antonio. I just know that dunks makes the crowd hype and their energy helps us out. I think it helped with our win last night"

And the Mom story, just when he gave her the call "she said... loorrd... are you lyiiiing (in a mom imitating voice), she's just so happy for me" etc... but the demeanor he had when he spoke about it, makes you feel like you want to go make your mom proud now lol.

With the KL chemistry, he just said it comes from playing basketball... I think they're kindred spirits and it will continue to blossom

Link me bruh

[Mel_13]

Where did you see this interview?

It was definitely part of the FSSW coverage last night. I believe it was aired during the 30 minute pre-game show.

[look_at_g_shred]

Wiggins

[8FOR!3]

Ya'll are right, Gee wasn't a good comparison the more I think about it (maybe athletically though.) How about Shabazz Muhammad? More green and not as good, but similar game?

[ceperez]

Ya'll are right, Gee wasn't a good comparison the more I think about it (maybe athletically though.) How about Shabazz Muhammad? More green and not as good, but similar game?

He's got better handles and mobility than Green. Green is a defensive specialist. Simmons doesn't have same uncanny defensive ability. Simmons has superior passing and driving skills over Green.

Maybe Dwayne Wade is a better comparison. Not the same ability of course, but the same kind of game.