With an emphasis on improving the small forward position, one potential option for the Brooklyn Nets may be restricted free agent Jonathan Simmons. But, general manager Sean Marks cannot afford to overpay to acquire the 27-year-old Houston native.
Since the absence of Kawhi Leonard in the Western Conference Finals, former D-League prospect and current San Antonio Spurs guard Jonathan Simmons has certainly been making a name for himself.
With some impressive defensive performances earlier in the playoffs, most notably on James Harden, Simmons has been a name that many NBA experts and writers believe will get one of those mega pay days being issued out this summer.
Simmons, who has quite the remarkable story, having to once pay $150 for a D-League tryout is now playing valuable minutes in the Western Conference Finals. In fact, he even was a part of the Brooklyn Nets' NBA Summer League team when he received a call from his agent in July of 2015.
"Simmons was on a bus in Orlando, having just completed his third and final game with the Brooklyn Nets' Summer League team, when he received a call from his agent.
"'Jon … you are now an NBA player,' Simmons retold the story to NBADLeague.com in July.
"'OK?'
"'The Spurs just gave you a two-year [deal].'"
Simmons surely embodies the type of grit, tenacity and dedication to the game general manager Sean Marks seeks in his players. It was in 2015 when then assistant coach Sean Marks became assistant general manager under Spurs architect R.C. Buford.
Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports
So, Simmons has it all in what defines a Brooklyn Net. He's stepped up this season when the Spurs needed him most, even coming up big-time in a closeout game against the Houston Rockets where he showed tremendous athleticism going to his right, a nice two-man game with Paul Gasol, and the ability to rise up over the defender and knock down crucial three-point field goals.
But, in today's NBA, Simmons is, at best, a 12-15 points per game scorer and at times a lockdown defender. He is currently 27 and will turn 28 in September, making his mark in the NBA as a scrappy 25-year-old at the time. Giving Simmons a four-year deal may be a bit risky, considering he's been a product of filling in for superstar Kawhi Leonard and playing with high-caliber talent.
Will Simmons, who becomes a restricted free agent this summer, rise up on a team with Jeremy Lin and Brook Lopez (for now) at the helm? It's not as likely as you may think.
Sure, Simmons hit 38.3 percent from three in 2015-16, but only followed it up by hitting sub-30 percent the following year.
What will give the Spurs pause about matching an offer? Anything north of $48 million over the course of a four-year deal? It's pretty likely the Spurs would match, considering Simmons has played the role of Leonard's backup quite well. The expectations aren't as high as it would be on a Nets team looking for an answer at the 3 position, something Sean Marks stressed so far in the early days of the offseason.
It's why, if the Nets are indeed interested in bringing Simmons on, it's in a role similar to his current one in San Antonio. Sure, the Nets may heighten it a bit, possibly working on developing his three-pointer a bit more in Atkinson's motion offense and putting him in situations to be a lockdown defender.
The Nets would also most certainly be giving him a bit more playing time than the 17.8 minutes he averaged this season, but by no means is Simmons ready to leapfrog into the 30 minutes per game territory.
If the #Nets are indeed interested in restricted free agent Jonathan Simmons, how much would you pay him over 4 years so SAS won't match?
— Christopher Lavinio (@ChrisLavinio) May 22, 2017
Simmons is a nice bench add who may be playing with the starters in crunch-time late in games.
Sean Marks, in preaching his systematic approach, cannot go north of $12 million if interested in Simmons. He must understand the upside, but not be enamored with it (in limited sample size) by giving him a big-time four-year deal.
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