1:00pm: Having spoken to Simmons’ representatives, Jabari Young of The San Antonio Express-News (Twitter link) says they are no longer in talks with the Spurs. Referring to today’s move as “last call,” Young strongly suggests a reunion isn’t in store for Simmons and San Antonio.
Meanwhile, Wojnarowski adds (via Twitter) that Simmons is in talks with “several” other clubs, while Charania confirms the UFA guard is focused on signing elsewhere.
11:27am: The Spurs continue to negotiate with Simmons as an unrestricted free agent, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
If that’s the case, it seems the team may have simply rescinded Simmons’ qualifying offer rather than renouncing his rights entirely. Withdrawing Simmons’ QO would leave the Spurs with his Early Bird rights, while renouncing him would leave only the bi-annual exception or Non-Bird rights for a new deal.
11:04am: In a surprising move, the Spurs have renounced Jonathon Simmons, making him an unrestricted free agent, reports Shams Charania of The Vertical (Twitter link). Today is the last day for teams to withdraw qualifying offers for restricted free agents, so San Antonio made the move just before the deadline.
A former undrafted free agent out of Houston, Simmons played a career-high 78 games for the Spurs last season, averaging 6.2 PPG, 2.1 RPG, and 1.6 APG in a part-time role for the club. Although he has played just two years in the NBA, Simmons will turn 28 in September.
Despite his age and his modest production last year, however, the 6’6″ swingman has been viewed as one of the more intriguing players on the shooting guard market, given his two-way potential and his ability to play a key role for the West’s second-best team. Simmons also took on a larger role in the postseason, averaging 15.3 PPG and 3.3 APG in the Warriors’ four-game sweep of the Spurs.
The Kings, Clippers, Knicks, and Timberwolves are among the teams that have expressed interest in Simmons since free agency got underway, though most of those clubs no longer have the flexibility to make a competitive offer. Sacramento still has some room left, and under-the-cap clubs like the Nets and Sixers could be worth watching as well.
The Spurs’ decision to renounce Simmons is somewhat unexpected, considering the team was said to be preparing an offer in the range of $9MM annually for him at the start of free agency. However, San Antonio may have viewed Simmons as a non-essential piece after using the mid-level exception to bring Rudy Gay aboard.
Wow. I was almost sure he’d be back. Thanks for two great seasons Simmons.
Spurs are still negotiating with him according to Woj
Rudy Gay replaced him in the small ball lineup. That’s why they don’t need Simmons anymore
Ohhhh nooooo Pop what sonyou thinkin
Come to the Warriors, we need you
This would be a solid signing for the nets
Man I wish the Blazers had any sort of cap space lol
Maybe they can grab David Nwaba cheaper – similar player
Confusing ordeal, but the market died on a few players I expected it to be larger for. Hope to still see them keep him somehow
would love to see him with the timberwolves.
is this even posibel somehow?
Come on Bulls…go get him!
Could be a Sixer target lot of callers bring him up that’s for sure.
I hope the knicks at least consider him I doubt he would sign with NY but he would be a starter after the Melo trade.
Simmons is a Beast .. good Trade for booth side !!!
I coud see atlanta being interested. Not sure if Denver or Utah has space left, but I could see them being interested. With so many teams out of space, it will be interesting to see what happens with him
Lakers the BEST choice!!!
Solid contributor for the Spurs last season. “Undiscovered NBA talent” discovered & polished by the Spurs. If they’re not going to keep him, he’ll probably be picked-up by the perceived challengers of the Warriors next season. Wolves or Clippers in the West or Cavs or Celtics in the East.
He deserves more money than he will receive. In this day of enormous contracts no one has cap room for a solid bench option like this guy.