Locked On Magic: Talking Jonathon Simmons with Jeff Garcia of Locked On Spurs
The Orlando Magic made a big and surprising free agent move in signing Jonathon Simmons. What can we expect? We chatted with Locked On Spurs about him.
Orlando Magic fans targeted Jonathon Simmons early on in the summer for free agency.
He was the kind of young prospect who just needed a chance and a bigger role. And a team like the Magic were a place where he could do just that.
There was just seemingly no chance he would be available to the cash-strapped Magic. Orlando did not have the money to go after him.
It seemed patience won out. Nobody bit on Simmons while the San Antonio Spurs held his restricted free agency rights. By the time the Spurs released him into unrestricted free agency, the money had dried up.
Orlando seemingly got a steal in his three-year, $20-million contract. The question then became what kind of player was the Magic signing. Was all that excitement much ado about nothing?
Simmons said in his introductory press conference and in other interviews since arriving in Orlando he was looking to get a bigger role and he often felt stifled in the San Antonio’s regimented offense. It seemed, despite rumors to the contrary, the parting was mutual as Simmons hoped to get more opportunity.
To be sure, Simmons still benefited a lot in the Spurs offense. By all accounts, the team intended to keep him at the beginning of the offseason. But the money began to dry up and other players — like Rudy Gay and Manu Ginobili — became bigger priorities.
Is that a cause for concern?
Simmons averaged 6.2 points per game and shot 45.6 percent effective field goal percentage in 17.8 minutes per game. In the Playoffs, when the Spurs gave him the ball a bit more thanks to injuries to key players, he averaged 10.5 points per game and shot a 50.4 percent effective field goal percentage in 20.4 minutes per game.
Simmons cut a reputation as a strong defender and energy player. Occasionally he would have these big offensive bursts. It seems the Magic are at least betting on him to fill that role in a larger way, hoping his numbers increase with his increase in minutes.
The question, as always with a player who has limited minutes and a strong Playoff run, is how much of it will carry over.
Can Simmons take on a larger role? Or will he flounder outside the Spurs’ system?
These are legitimate questions. And the best guy to answer it is someone who watched Simmons for the last two years in San Antonio and knows his game well.
On this episode of Locked On Magic, I chatted with Jeff Garcia of Locked On Spurs all about Jonathon Simmons and what the Magic are getting in their new free agent.
On This Episode:
- What does Jonathon Simmons bring to the game?
- How much does Jonathon Simmons’ story affect his approach to the game?
- Why did Jonathon Simmons and the San Antonio Spurs part ways?
- How surprising was it for Jonathon Simmons to leave the San Antonio Spurs?
- How surprising was it for Jonathon Simmons to land with the Orlando Magic?
- How does Jonathon Simmons fit in with the Orlando Magic? How do the San Antonio Spurs replace him?
- How do San Antonio Spurs fans feel about Jonathon Simmons’ departure?
Be sure to follow Jeff Garcia on Twitter @JeffGSpursZone and check out his podcast, Locked on Spurs, for the latest on the San Antonio Spurs.
Next: For Jonathon Simmons, it is about his next opportunity
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