2017-18 Orlando Magic Player Evaluations: Jonathon Simmons

The Orlando Magic felt they got a steal when they acquired Jonathon Simmons in free agency. That proved to be true as he was solid all year.

The Orlando Magic were not going to be able to do much in free agency last summer. The wish list of potential additions to the team was small. The Magic did not have much cap room — nor the desire to commit more long-term money to dig themselves further into a financial hole.

Orlando would work on the periphery. And Jeff Weltman’s evaluation season would be more about what he already had and sorting out the mess left to him than making his imprint on the team.

Fortune favored the Magic that summer and one of the more intriguing free agents of the offseason fell into their laps at a reasonable price.

After Jonathon Simmons averaged 10.5 points per game in the 2017 Playoffs, including a stellar run once Kawhi Leonard went out with an injury. Simmons was a perfect support player in the San Antonio Spurs’ system — a hard-nosed defender and grinder who could come in and create chaos off the bench.

Yet, it was clear he wanted to do more. He came to Orlando professing his desire to have a larger role within the offense. He wanted more responsibility and more opportunity. The Magic were more than willing to give it — especially at the price.

Simmons would eventually take over as the starter. He started in 50 of the 69 games he played. He played in more minutes than he had ever played in before — blowing past the previous year’s minutes total by the midpoint of the season. You could see the fatigue in him growing. But he kept producing and kept playing.

Expecting Simmons to turn into a star was a bit too much. Expecting him to be a full-time starter by December was a bit of a surprise. But Simmons produced and had a great season. He will have to prepare himself for the future again, but he found a good fit.

Simmons still has his flaws. He wants the ball in his hands and works best as a primary ball handler. He is not quite good enough to do that as a starter full time. And his 3-point shot is still inconsistent.

But Simmons was still very good. Exactly what the Magic ordered. If not exactly what they needed for the role they eventually played him in.

The Good and the Bad

Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 4/17/2018.

Jonathon Simmons played 1,392 minutes in the 2017 season. It was not a ton of time to evaluate him. He was largely coming off the bench and more of a change-of-pace player. Gregg Popovich and the San Antonio Spurs loved his defensive determinedness, if not his sometimes uncontrollable forays to the rim.

He needed some space to let himself go. An offense with a little bit less structure and, more time.

Simmons blew past that minutes played mark fairly quickly this season. He totaled 2,029 minutes. That was not an insignificant upgrade. Simmons wanted this opportunity to play more minutes and he took advantage of it.

Orlando gave him the freedom to work on the ball more and attack the basket. He had a career year, not just because of his minutes. Simmons averaged 17.1 points per game and shot a 51.1 percent effective field goal percentage. It was a quietly efficient season for Simmons, despite all the frustration with his style of play.

Like so many players, the Magic miscast Simmons a bit. They needed a shooter and Simmons was decidedly not that. He needed the ball in his hands for drives and. His passing was better than expected but hardly consistent.

Everyone seemed to agree Simmons’ ideal role was as the sixth man off the bench. There he could dominate the ball and drive and be a lead scorer. The team could find shooters to space the floor for him or he could better take advantage of weaker defenders. The starting lineup did not suit him as well it seemed.

But injuries forced him into duty. And the Magic and Simmons did the best they could with the role. That meant some awkward lineups where Simmons was trying too hard to take control of the team when it might have been better for him to defer. He only plays one way.

Most of that play was successful throughout the year. But he still needs some improvement.

Simmons still shot just 33.8 percent from beyond the arc. So he was not the floor spacer Orlando needed at that position — especially considering how much his skills clashed with Elfrid Payton and to some extent Aaron Gordon.

There was plenty to like about Simmons and his season in the end though. He was an effective player and one that seemed well worth Orlando’s early investment.

Best Game of 2018

Feb. 6 vs. Cleveland: 34 points, 12/17 FGs, 7 rebounds

Jonathon Simmons showed he was capable of putting in some big scoring performances with the San Antonio Spurs. He virtually announced himself on opening night in a win over the Golden State Warriors. He continued to show what he could do in the playoffs against the Warriors later in the year.

Orlando was counting to win a few games because Simmons just got things rolling and went on a hot streak. And he had more than a few of those games.

This February night against the Cleveland Cavaliers just before the trade deadline proved to be one of his magnum opi.

The Cavaliers took a 20-point lead in the first half and it felt like the Magic were going to limp to the trade deadline and just go away and die. This had the opportunity for an angry LeBron James to just take his frustrations out on one of the worst teams in the league.

Instead, Simmons went off.

Orlando came back behind Simmons’ 22-point effort in the third quarter. He scored the most points in a single quarter since Tracy McGrady‘s 23 in his 62-point game. That is some strong company. And Simmons just had it rolling.

He made seven of eight field goals in total and seven of eight free throws. If there was an ideal Simmons game, it was this. He was driving and getting to the basket and getting to the foul line.

The Magic turned a 16-point halftime deficit into a four-point lead thanks to Simmons draining a 3-pointer at the buzzer. He posed for good measure.

Orlando held Cleveland to nine points in the fourth quarter and won easily. Sending the Cavaliers to make the trade that changed their season. Simmons did that in one fell swoop.

2019 Outlook

In an offseason that anticipates change, it is hard not to say any player is completely untouchable. Jonathon Simmons on a declining three-year, $18-million contract all of a sudden seems extremely marketable.

In fact, Simmons’ name popped up in trade rumors at the trade deadline this year. He still has a lot of value around the league. A year in Orlando did not tarnish anything. In fact, it may have enhanced it.

Simmons proved he could take on a larger role. He started for the Magic and succeeded. It was not the best fit overall. He likely was better off the bench. But another team could put him in that role. Simmons performed admirably.

It will be an offseason of change, but Simmons is one of the few players who was clearly a Jeff Weltman pick. He is a guy who could help build the kind of culture the Magic want. No one ever questioned his effort or his willingness to play hard. Just his efficiency at times. And that was largely a product of role.

Weltman signed him in free agency to a multiyear deal. That suggests the Magic envision him as part of the team’s future. It looks like the Magic want to include Simmons in their future plans.

In all likelihood, he will get the opportunity to start again next year. It is not likely the Magic are going to find anyone better in free agency or the draft. He lost the end of his season to an injury, but he held the starting spot pretty much from November to the end of the season. And no one was really upset about that.

Simmons had a strong season. One he admitted could be stronger. He will likely spend his offseason building up his stamina and improving his game. He will manage himself better next season now that he has been through an entire year with such a large role.

That suggests he will continue to get better in the end.

Final Grade

Some fans had some outsized expectations for Jonathon Simmons before the season began. They saw him as someone who could potentially take over games and be a clear-cut starter from the beginning of the season.

They were not completely wrong. Asking him to do it the whole season when he had not played such a large role before was probably asking too much. But Simmons delivered. If not to the extent of those expectations, then pretty close.

He thrived coming off the bench to start the season — 14.0 points per game in 19 games as a reserve. That was actually better scoring than when he was a starter.

That does not mean Simmons was not successful as a starter. He did not fit great with the other players on the roster, but the Magic certainly needed his creation. And he provided that throughout the season.

For a player taking such a big step up in role Simmons thrived. He stepped up and played at a fairly consistently throughout the season. That is saying a lot for a team that won just 25 games all season. He made Orlando a better team in whatever role the team asked of him.

Did his defense slip a bit? Sure. He like everyone else struggled some with the role the Magic asked him to play. And he struggled to keep his intensity and focus, especially as the season lost some of its meaning. That is only human nature.

But Simmons was largely reliable. He was a bright spot throughout the season. A guy the team could rely on for effort and production. And occasionally a big game or two when he got hot.

Next: 2018 Orlando Magic Player Evaluations: Frank Vogel

The Magic knew they had a steal when they signed Simmons in the offseason. His first season in Orlando left no doubt of that.