Trip is homecoming for Simmons
Magic newcomer grew up in Texas, made NBA debut with San Antonio
The play seemed lost to the Orlando Magic.
Jonathon Simmons lost control of the basketball in the Miami Heat’s defensive end, and Heat big man Kelly Olynyk gathered the ball and passed ahead to Justise Winslow. Winslow, in turn, sent a pass to Wayne Ellington, who elevated for what should’ve been an easy scoop layup.
But a funny thing happened: Simmons never quit. Trailing the fast break, he accelerated and leaped as Ellington jumped. When Ellington released the ball, Simmons swatted it against the backboard with his right hand. Fans inside Amway Center oohed and aahed.
That sequence, from late in the third quarter Saturday night, explains much about Simmons, the Magic’s marquee offseason signing. He makes occasional mistakes on offense, but he makes up for those miscues with intense determination and perimeter toughness.
“That’s who he is,” coach Frank Vogel said. “He’s a hard-playing dude that fights and competes and should enhance what we’re doing here.”
Simmons, a 28-year-old swingman, overcame obstacles his entire life. He grew up in Houston and played for two junior colleges before he attended the University of Houston. Undrafted out of college, he paid $150 in 2013 to participate in an open tryout for the San Antonio Spurs’ D-League team. He made the D-League squad, and two years later, he made his NBA debut with the Spurs.
The next few days will be a homecoming for Simmons. Tonight, the Magic will play the Dallas Mavericks in Dallas in a preseason exhibition. On Tuesday night, the Magic will face Simmons’ old team, the Spurs.
Simmons insists the return trip won’t be emotional.
“Nah, I come to work,” Simmons said. “No emotions. I just will be happy to see those guys and the staff as well.”
Simmons could receive a warm welcome in San Antonio.
On May 11, with All-Star Kawhi Leonard injured, the Spurs inserted Simmons into their starting lineup for Game 6 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Houston Rockets. In 31 minutes, Simmons scored 18 points, played sound defense and helped the Spurs close out the series.
Other teams took notice, and the Magic signed him to a three-year deal worth a total of $18 million — a smaller sum than Simmons had expected on the free-agent market.
The Magic think he’ll provide badly needed grit and nastiness on the perimeter.
“I love having guys like that,” said Jeff Weltman, the team’s president of basketball operations. “I don’t know anyone in management or coaching that doesn’t love guys that just fight and who bring a chip on their shoulder and a little edge. Teams just don’t win in the NBA without players like that, and we were happy to have Jonathon choose us.”
The Magic arguably haven’t had a player with Simmons’ edge since Matt Barnes manned the smallforward spot during the 2009-10 season. Barnes arguably was a better shooter than Simmons, but Simmons possesses more speed and more explosiveness, as his block of Ellington’s layup demonstrated.
Terrence Ross and Evan Fournier occupy the starting wing positions, so Simmons currently comes off the bench. He might be suited to a sixth-man role, changing the tenor of games with his defense.
“I hate getting scored on,” Simmons said. “That’s just a pain in the behind to me, and it lets my teammates down. Obviously, it’s the [NBA] and you can’t stop everybody, but I take pride in containing people.
“A lot of people passed up on me [in free agency], which doesn’t matter because it’s politics and all. I can deal with that. But it means a lot to me to be here.”