Jonathon Simmons recently cashed in on a successful 2016-17 season with the Spurs, signing a multi-year deal worth $20 million with the Orlando Magic this week.
Simmons, who thrived off the bench under Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, gave the Spurs a much-needed boost of energy every time he took the floor this season. His activity on the defensive end and ability to create his own shot, all while playing under the team’s offense, made him a coveted free agent on the open market this summer.
For San Antonio, retaining Simmons was a long shot from day one of the free agency period. The team is dealing with a series of cap flexibility issues, and still has several free agents not yet signed. Among those still unsigned are David Lee, Pau Gasol and Manu Ginobili.
They allowed Dewayne Dedmon to walk, and will likely do the same with Joel Anthony. In hindsight, it wasn’t surprising to see Simmons leave the Spurs this summer.
What is surprising, however, is this tidbit of information from NEWS4 San Antonio reporter Casey Keirnan:
Source tells me Spurs never made Jonathon Simmons a single offer throughout free agency despite reports to the contrary.
— Casey Keirnan (@CaseyKeirnan) July 15, 2017
Other reports indicated the Spurs and Simmons were discussing a new deal, but once the team opted to make him an unrestricted free agent, it all but ended Simmons’ stint as a member of the franchise.
