Did a rift with head coach Gregg Popovich help precipitate Jonathon Simmons’ sudden departure from the San Antonio Spurs?
In an appearance on ESPN’s “The Jump” on Thursday, Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated said Simmons and Popovich did not get along particularly well.
“Toward the end of last season, I was hearing some rumblings that him and Pop weren’t the best of friends,” said Spears. “I think Pop didn’t like some of the showboating that Jonathon Simmons does — dunking on people, staring … Also I’m kind of hearing that [Simmons] felt a little handcuffed playing for the Spurs, so perhaps it wasn’t the greatest fit.”
The 27-year-old Simmons spent the first two seasons of his NBA career in San Antonio but averaged just 16.6 minutes per game over that span. He agreed to a three-year, $20 million deal with the Orlando Magic on Friday, just one day after being officially renounced by the Spurs.
Simmons’ play style can border on flashy at times, and either way, players who feud with Popovich unsurprisingly don’t tend to last for long in San Antonio.
H/T NBA Reddit
