I just found out that Jonathan Simmons is out of the league

[koriwhat]

Rather have the Juice than Belinelli.

[DAF86]

He likely would have made less. I don't know about any "offer" to come play with LeBron, but Simmons did the right thing for him and his family in getting paid. That was a once in a lifetime opportunity for a guy like him. The guy had to pay for his own audition in Austin FFS, and he got almost $14M in total salary from his time in the league. If the Spurs had made him available at the start of free agency that year, he might have gotten double that. I think the Spurs were going to try to keep him on the cheap, but that was the year of the real salary cap craziness. I could almost guarantee that the Spurs would have only partially guaranteed him for years 2 and 3. As it is, he got 2 full years and a partial for this year.

What the article doesn't mention is that he was pretty good that first year in Orlando, and started something like 50 games. He got hurt the next year, and was really never the same. The guy that played in Orlando that first year would have been a good addition to the roster at the right price. You guys talking like he would have been bad for the team are full of . If he played like he did that first year in Orlando, the Spurs would be lucky to have him right now - especially compared to Beli.

Whoever it was above who said he went to "chase empty stats" in Orlando, GTFO. A guy who had to pay for his own audition found a way to get paid $14M. There's not a person here who wouldn't chase empty stats for that kind of payday. Good for him.

Simmons that year - OBPM: -1.0 DBPM: -1.3 BPM: -2.3 VORP: - 0.2

One would think that the guy could have at least posted positive metrics in at least one category during his career year, but nop.

[DAF86]

Half the league is mediocre, if you're comparing to the rest of the players. Pretty much by definition. The ones who are better than mediocre get paid a LOT more than the $875K he made in his second season here.

You are right. I should correct myself: he was just bad.

[lmbebo]

He got his money. Hopefully he still has some left.

[ChumpDumper]

Simmons could always show flashes of really good play on offense and defense. He could just never pull it together with any consistency and couldn't be relied upon to perform at a certain level. Frustrating, but a cool story how he got in the league and got paid.

[KobesAchilles]

Take the 14 mil and run homie. Don’t ever look back.
but the dude was a scrub. We have enough iso midrange cancers on our team, don’t need another
Hes part of the positive that PATFO did by getting rid of tbh. Him, Dedmon, (injured) Golden god, Fathead. Hopefully next is Marco and LMA

[Atl Spur]

Lonnie is made from the same cloth. He will be out of the league not too long from now too.

I’ll take this bet......how much you want to lose? I’m waiting homie.....

[exstatic]

Lonnie is made from the same cloth. He will be out of the league not too long from now too.

Lonnie was 19 when drafted. JSimms was 24 when he signed with the Toros, and 26 when he signed with the Spurs. That's a big ing difference. Not saying that Lonnie will pan out, but he's already a better player than JSimms.

[TDMVPDPOY]

he is one of the reason why kawhi left for greener pastures, when u build a roster around him and the chemistry clicked, then u go an lowball those guys...fck patfo can go eat a

he should go join the clippers or lakers
all current former spurs players in the league roster>>>current spurs roster

[ZeusWillJudge]

Simmons that year - OBPM: -1.0 DBPM: -1.3 BPM: -2.3 VORP: - 0.2

One would think that the guy could have at least posted positive metrics in at least one category during his career year, but nop.

"Bu..bu..but...advanced stats! What about the advanced stats?"

The best VORP on the Spurs whole damn roster right now is Aldridge at 0.5. Aldridge's DBPM is -0.1 this year, while Simmons had a DBPM of 0.9 in his second year here. Tim's advanced stats were all lower in '14 than they were in '15. Do you think Tim was better in '15 than he was in the Championship run? The team has a lot to do with those numbers, Skippy. You can't look at them in a vacuum.

Advanced stats are like scissors or matches - children should not be allowed to play with them. But there's just no stopping it.

[ZeusWillJudge]

Simmons could always show flashes of really good play on offense and defense. He could just never pull it together with any consistency and couldn't be relied upon to perform at a certain level. Frustrating, but a cool story how he got in the league and got paid.

Perfect.

[timvp]

Simmons is on the wrong side of 30. Considering he was an NBA player at all due to athleticism, it's no surprise his NBA days are over now.

of a story, though. He turned $150 into $14,000,000.

[DAF86]

"Bu..bu..but...advanced stats! What about the advanced stats?"

"B...bu...but watching the games with an analytical eye! What about watching the games with an analytical eye?"

I never needed advanced stats to realize Simmons wasn't all that good, tbh. Advanced stats just reinforced what I already believed.

The best VORP on the Spurs whole damn roster right now is Aldridge at 0.5. Aldridge's DBPM is -0.1 this year, while Simmons had a DBPM of 0.9 in his second year here. Tim's advanced stats were all lower in '14 than they were in '15. Do you think Tim was better in '15 than he was in the Championship run? The team has a lot to do with those numbers, Skippy. You can't look at them in a vacuum.

Advanced stats are like scissors or matches - children should not be allowed to play with them. But there's just no stopping it.

Do you think I'm not a poster that gives context to advanced stats?

An entire career of negative metrics isn't looking at advanced stats in a vacuum, tbh.

And, yeah, teams might have something to do with the individual advanced stats of players, but Simmons managed to post negative metrics in, both, lottery and 60 wins teams, so that's not a excuse that could be given to justify Simmons, tbh.

Simmons was always a below average player, some folks just have problems accepting that fact because they are not willing to give up on what they once thought.

[SpurPadre]

Lonnie was 19 when drafted. JSimms was 24 when he signed with the Toros, and 26 when he signed with the Spurs. That's a big ing difference. Not saying that Lonnie will pan out, but he's already a better player than JSimms.

If Lonnie were already a better player than JSimms, wouldn't he be sniffing more minutes than JSimms' first season with us that had a much better team?

[koriwhat]

If Lonnie were already a better player than JSimms, wouldn't he be sniffing more minutes than JSimms' first season with us that had a much better team?

logic 101

[exstatic]

If Lonnie were already a better player than JSimms, wouldn't he be sniffing more minutes than JSimms' first season with us that had a much better team?

Spurs never had big plans for JSimms. He was what he was. They're trying to mold Lonnie into something great. That takes more time and effort.

[paperboy77]

Many are ting on Juice but they are wrong. He's a guy we can definitely use right now. For this guy the stats don't mean everything. It's the intangibles that came along with his non-Spurs style that made him valuable. Our current roster is a bunch of no heart chumps.

[SpurPadre]

Spurs never had big plans for JSimms. He was what he was. They're trying to mold Lonnie into something great. That takes more time and effort.

Agreed but until then, he's not a better NBA player than JSimms was in his first season with us.

[DPG21920]

Simmons could always show flashes of really good play on offense and defense. He could just never pull it together with any consistency and couldn't be relied upon to perform at a certain level. Frustrating, but a cool story how he got in the league and got paid.

Yup. I don’t get the hate for guys like him. It was a “cant write a script better than this” story. And he is not a make or break guy for the team so don’t understand any ill will.

[DAF86]

Yup. I don’t get the hate for guys like him. It was a “cant write a script better than this” story. And he is not a make or break guy for the team so don’t understand any ill will.

I don't see anybody hating Simmons, tbh. Just folks saying he was (and by the look of things, still is) way overrated by people here. I'm glad the dude made the most of his opportunity and became a millionaire, tbh.

[SpurPadre]

He was the only dunker Pop has tolerated, tbh.

[SAGirl]

Left San Antonio to put up empty stats in Orlando. Declined LeBron's offer to play him with in Cleveland, guaranteed trip to the finals. Amazing.

He Declined an invitation to participate in the dunk contest his last season in San Antonio too. Should have gone for it. I enjoyed rooting for him.

It’s too bad, can’t blame the guy for being ambitious that is what got him in the league in the first place And he got his money.

He fractured his wrist (or hand) toward March if his first season in Orlando and never recovered his shot after that (and he was a streaky guy to begin with).

[kht]

He did what anyone of us would have done. Why are you guys trippin lol?

He played hard and hustle while he was here. A slightly above average defender. We need all of those attributes this year.

[GAustex]

Simmons was alright but not great. I like that he was a tough guy. A fighter type. Clippers got a team full of guys like that (Harrel,Bev,Harkless). Guys like that are useful. Simmons played hard.
Spurs could use some of that.

[Prime BEEF]

Lonnie is made from the same cloth. He will be out of the league not too long from now too.

Lonnie, KJ, Luka S. will all be out of the league in not that long. The question is do any of them get significant playing time at all? Doubt they play as many minutes as Simmons did.

There were better players available. Bad draft choices. That’s why I’m not convinced that the FO would make the right picks if we somehow traded away DDR and LMA for picks.