Simmons' 30 Worst NBA Contracts...Kills Our Boys

[Tenspro2002]

If you send a lot of people to the NBA, you're likely to have a normal distribution of overproducers and underproducers.

Actually, I'd take it a step further. The "overproducers" are likely to be second round picks who were overlooked by NBA scouts and GMs. Think back for a second: how many of our guys in the NBA were drafted in the second round, or even outside of the lottery? Virtually none.

The amazing thing Calhoun was able to do wasn't just to take guys who otherwise wouldn't have been in the League and get them drafted, it was to take guys who otherwise wouldn't have been in the League and get them drafted really highly. He turned Hilton Armstrong into a lottery pick!

That should be a major selling point to recruits, and hopefully Ollie can keep up that tradition.

 

[HuskyHawk]

The article is solely an indictment of poor GMs rather than players. If you read the last paragraph about Amare he raves about the guy's skills when used the right way and and basically says it's not like he gave himself the contract.

As someone said earlier, we may have overpaid guys but look at the value our latest class is bringing into the league. It's almost impossible to do a "best contracts" list if you include all the rookie deals out there, but nonetheless all 3 of our young guys are performing noticeably better than their draft stock, and we have a 4th on the way of whom I'm very confident will join that club.

The NBA really, really, really needs the contract system used in the NFL. Non guaranteed contracts. It might even lead to some better competition among teams. No other league is more hampered and hamstrung by cap related issues. The NBA is a disaster as a result. Baseball is bad, as is Hockey, but the minor league system and long term of initial contracts (arbitration system as well) mitigate the problem. The NBA is a total crapshoot.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

He tried to change the subject as fast as possible when Durant brought Ollie up.

You think that was intentional because he "hates UConn"? C'mon. He's just a crappy interviewer.

 

[SubbaBub]

You think that was intentional because he "hates UConn"? C'mon. He's just a crappy interviewer.

He also, self admittedly, knows very little about college ball.

 

[Waquoit]

On the other hand, Andre, Kemba and even Jeremy are producing well above their contracts.

Great point

 

[Mots010]

Could be worse. We have 4 guys listed as bad contacts. We could only have 4 guys in the NBA altogether like some other college teams we know (cough Syracuse).

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

You could see the surprise. His eyes widened.

You couldn't see his face when Durant mentioned Ollie, so I don't know what you're talking about "his eyes widened". But I'm sure he was surprised that Kevin Durant is saying a journeyman point guard who never really accomplished much on the court was responsible for changing the entire culture of one of the NBA's preeminent franchises. Anyone who doesn't know Ollie would be surprised to hear that. And so a good interviewer would follow up. He didn't because, like I said, he's a bad interviewer.

But saying that Simmons tried to change the subject as fast as possible because Durant mentioned a UConn guy makes you sound certifiable, honestly. It seems that, in your estimation, there's a pretty widespread network of people who are actively working, for no apparent reason other than their own animus, to bring down UConn basketball.

 

[tzznandrew]

You couldn't see his face when Durant mentioned Ollie, so I don't know what you're talking about "his eyes widened". But I'm sure he was surprised that Kevin Durant is saying a journeyman point guard who never really accomplished much on the court was responsible for changing the entire culture of one of the NBA's preeminent franchises. Anyone who doesn't know Ollie would be surprised to hear that. And so a good interviewer would follow up. He didn't because, like I said, he's a bad interviewer.

But saying that Simmons tried to change the subject as fast as possible because Durant mentioned a UConn guy makes you sound certifiable, honestly. It seems that, in your estimation, there's a pretty widespread network of people who are actively working, for no apparent reason other than their own animus, to bring down UConn basketball.

Would Simmons even know that KO was a UConn alum? I mean, he doesn't follow college basketball much, and it was such a long time ago that I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't, in that moment, make the UConn-Ollie connection.

 

[tcf15]

Would Simmons even know that KO was a UConn alum? I mean, he doesn't follow college basketball much, and it was such a long time ago that I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't, in that moment, make the UConn-Ollie connection.

Or have any idea where he is now.

 

[superjohn]

His site has become great. The main writers for each sport are tremendously insightful, and his tv and film critics are great too. It has become a daily read for me.

Also, he knows more about basketball than anyone on this board, he just gets I to trouble when talking about stuff he doesn't know. For instance, I doubt he has watched UConn once this year, and probably does not even know KO is the head coach, but his NBA knowledge is immense. Mock him for his 90210 references if you like, he understands the game rely well.

Are you kidding me? My guess is many people on this board know the game better than Simmons. He knows a decent amount of NBA history but when he tries to break down games he shows a lack of knowledge about the actual game. I don't mind the guy but he's brutal to watch on TV, I give him credit for becoming such a big shot at ESPN despite being a horrible TV personality.

 

[superjohn]

Would Simmons even know that KO was a UConn alum? I mean, he doesn't follow college basketball much, and it was such a long time ago that I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't, in that moment, make the UConn-Ollie connection.

Probably not, he knows absolutely nothing about College bball.

 

[Silk City]

The NBA really, really, really needs the contract system used in the NFL. Non guaranteed contracts. It might even lead to some better competition among teams. No other league is more hampered and hamstrung by cap related issues. The NBA is a disaster as a result. Baseball is bad, as is Hockey, but the minor league system and long term of initial contracts (arbitration system as well) mitigate the problem. The NBA is a total crapshoot.

I agree and disagree. One of the things that makes the NBA fun is how easy it is for fans to analyze GM decisions, since the roster sizes are small enough and the basics of salaries are easy to understand.

Also think about how good the Heat would be if they could take advantage of non-guaranteed deals, since everyone wants to play with them to begin with.

 

[dsturdy5]

Given the way the NBA is structured, it is very difficult to go from being very bad to being very good. Not only do you have to hit the lottery but you have to do it in the right year and/or do what the Celtics did and are trying to do again, gain a ton of tradable assets and make the right moves. On top of that, you can't just cut a guy and get cap relief and trades are extremely difficult to put together.

 

[Dogdeacon]

For me there is a strange love him or hate him relationship with Simmons. And a lot of the hate him folks seem to have loved his stuff when they were college aged or younger but now are super-critical, usually saying the writing style is worse. Others have never liked him which I totally get. His NFL picks or columns are always fluff which I can't read, for example he picks based on QB's only or "nobody believes in us" emotional theories rather than analyze the games.

I think his writing has been the same all along and its hit or miss because it is comedy. Meanwhile though he is hugely successful, his own brand website, a very good sports film series and on TV now (despite not really being good on TV, he's not Mike Franscesa bad, but within spitting distance of that). Regardless of what you think about his writing/TV he is arguably the most successful sports media business man or personality of the past 10 years and he made his own job which is the Millennial Generation American Dream. So I think the success is the source of the hate.

I really don't care what he or his buddies think or say about UConn. He doesn't cover college basketball and getting bent out of shape about every blogger that disses UConn is a colossal waste of energy.

With respect to the contracts, I think when Charlie & Ben signed we were at the height of an unprecedented period where EVERYTHING Jim Calhoun and UConn sent to the NBA turned into gold. Now although UConn is still steadily producing quality players that dynamic has shifted due to some recruiting lulls and inevitable odds/bad luck (Emeka injury). Hopefully Rudy's resurgence in Sacto (I gotta admit I got that wrong and am pleasantly surprised) and as the Bobcats get better things start improving for UConn guys in the NBA. Seems like OKC is going to trust JLamb to play a major role in the playoffs this year - I think he's more than capable of doing what DGreen did for San Antonio last season and that will be some very good UConn publicity.

 

[B1GEast]

There are a lot of NBA guys not earning their paycheck, as long as these uconn alum are donating to the practice facility, I could care less.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I agree and disagree. One of the things that makes the NBA fun is how easy it is for fans to analyze GM decisions, since the roster sizes are small enough and the basics of salaries are easy to understand.

Also think about how good the Heat would be if they could take advantage of non-guaranteed deals, since everyone wants to play with them to begin with.

Nobody ever wanted to play for Miami until Wade got there. It wouldn't stay that way, and my guess is with Wade declining, LeBron will move on, maybe to the Clippers, and Miami could become a sad sack franchise in short order. But the import thing non-guaranteed deals allows is spending across all the teams. That next big free agent would be able to go to almost any team, since they could all lose their expensive under-performing guys.

 

[dsturdy5]

Just saw on Twitter that Simmons is doing color for the Celtics game tonight.

 

[Waquoit]

There are a lot of NBA guys not earning their paycheck, as long as these uconn alum are donating to the practice facility, I could care less.

I guess you care a lot, then.

 

[Gringo]

Nobody ever wanted to play for Miami until Wade got there. It wouldn't stay that way, and my guess is with Wade declining, LeBron will move on, maybe to the Clippers, and Miami could become a sad sack franchise in short order. But the import thing non-guaranteed deals allows is spending across all the teams. That next big free agent would be able to go to almost any team, since they could all lose their expensive under-performing guys.

Really? "Nobody ever wanted to play for Miami until Wade got there."

I'm sure NBA players hate playing in cities where it is 80 degrees in the winter filled with beautiful Latin women and no state tax on their salary. Those Alonzo Mourning, Tim Hardaway and Jamal Mashburn teams in the 90's were really awful too.

 

[tcf15]

Adrian Wojnarowski ‏@WojYahooNBA
Charlotte is engaged in contract buyout discussions with Ben Gordon, league sources tell Yahoo Sports.

 

[Dogdeacon]

Just saw on Twitter that Simmons is doing color for the Celtics game tonight.

Illustrates my point. Simmons might not be an even average color man, but he has power, influence and this is interesting because he might say something others wouldn't. I.e. the Celtics shopped Rondo but found no takers for their ask of two first rounders. So now the mission is lose games while illustrating that Rondo is healthy, pretty tricky.

 

[Silk City]

Nobody ever wanted to play for Miami until Wade got there. It wouldn't stay that way, and my guess is with Wade declining, LeBron will move on, maybe to the Clippers, and Miami could become a sad sack franchise in short order. But the import thing non-guaranteed deals allows is spending across all the teams. That next big free agent would be able to go to almost any team, since they could all lose their expensive under-performing guys.

There's such a limited amount of cities big names could go to anyways. No superstar will ever willingly leave to go to, say, Minnesota. Better to put more pressure on GMs in popular markets to have the right squad assembled--After all the NBA more than any other sport relies on the front office. Games themselves are more predictable in isolation so the GM position becomes vital, especially of late.

 

[DogHouse]

When you send a ton, and I mean a ton of players into the NBA you are going to get a lot of bad contracts. UConn has nothing to do with the contracts that GM's are willing to pay to the players. Are UConn players being overpaid in the NBA? Absolutely. For that matter every player in the NBA is overpaid as far as I can see.

The bottom line is, we send players into the NBA. Period. If you would like to play in the NBA some day, UConn should be your choice of schools.

 

[noeynox]

Could be worse. We have 4 guys listed as bad contacts. We could only have 4 guys in the NBA altogether like some other college teams we know (cough Syracuse).

They did one of these for the Turkish basketball league and it was full of syracuse guys. True story.

 

[sledog]

He obviously has a Husky up his a licking his tonsils.