Bobby Simmons: NBA Most Improved Player

[thito_da_skins_fan]

More great news.....

Simmons selected over Wade, Prince

Associated Press

LOS ANGELES -- Bobby Simmons of the Los Angeles Clippers was a runaway winner of the NBA Most Improved Player award Thursday, easily topping Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade and Detroit Pistons standout Tayshaun Prince despite playing on a losing team.

Simmons, who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, is the first Clippers player to win the award that started following the 1985-86 season. Portland's Zach Randolph won it last year.

Simmons said hard work and a chance to play paid off.

"I never had the opportunity to show what I can do," he said Thursday. "Coach [Mike] Dunleavy gave me that opportunity. I just wanted to take every game like it was my last."

Simmons was watching an NBA playoff game when he was told he won the award.

"It pretty much caught me off guard," Simmons said, adding he immediately called his parents to share the good news.

Simmons received 59 first-place votes and 384 points in voting by sports writers and broadcasters. Wade got 15 first-place votes and 129 points, and Prince had 14 first-place votes and 107 points.

Charlotte's Primoz Brezec was fourth with 75 points, and New Orleans' Dan Dickau was fifth with 68. Players were awarded five points for each first-place vote, three for each second-place vote and one for each third-place vote.

The 24-year-old Simmons averaged career highs of 16.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.4 steals and 37.3 minutes in 75 games, including 74 starts.

A year earlier, in his first season with the Clippers, he averaged 7.8 points, 4.7 rebounds and 24.6 minutes in 56 games, including eight starts.

"It's been a great pleasure to coach Bobby for the last two years," Dunleavy said. "I never dreamed he could take it to another level the way he did. He's an incredible professional from a work ethic standpoint and very cerebral as a player. This award is very much deserved."

Dunleavy and general manager Elgin Baylor both said re-signing Simmons was a top priority.

"Bobby's been terrific for us," Dunleavy said. "The first day we can talk to him is July 1. The first day we can sign him is July 15."

Simmons said he would love to return because of the bond he's developed with his teammates.

"They made it a lot easier for me on and off the court," he said. "I'm looking forward to making the playoffs next year. We're so close. Next year, I would love to be in the playoffs playing for the championship."

The Clippers went 37-45 in failing to qualify for the postseason for the eighth straight year. But they have high hopes with players like Elton Brand, Corey Maggette, Chris Kaman, Shaun Livingston and, potentially, Simmons among those who return next season.

Simmons, a 6-foot-6 forward from DePaul, signed a two-year, $1.575 contract with the Clippers two years ago after being released by the Washington Wizards. He was a second-round draft choice of Seattle in 2001 before being traded to Washington, where he averaged 3.5 points in a total of 66 games over two seasons.

Among other winners of the most improved player award are Jalen Rose, Tracy McGrady, Jermaine O'Neal and Gilbert Arenas, who won from 2000-2003.

[TODD]

Good for him. Glad to see he got an opportunity in LA and he deserves a nice paycheck next year.

[Warhead36]

I always liked him here in DC but never thought he'd be as good as he was last year.

You think Grunfeld gets him to come back? Remember he's the one that spotted Arenas two summers ago when nobody else did and signed him.

[TheSteve]

Originally posted by Warhead36
I always liked him here in DC but never thought he'd be as good as he was last year.

You think Grunfeld gets him to come back? Remember he's the one that spotted Arenas two summers ago when nobody else did and signed him.

I thought there were rumors about Arenas coming to D.C. while Jordan was playing.

[jbooma]

hmmm so he had a contract year, and he improved, wow what a concept :doh:

Sorry but I still think Wade or James deserved it, James just blew up this year and become the best player in the NBA.

This is a nice story but the clips have been out of the playoffs since December.

[TheSteve]

Sorry, but James is not the best player in the NBA Jbooma.

T-Mac, Kobe, Wade, are all better wing players than he is. They have better defense, a more complete offensive game than he does. Numbers dont tell the whole story. He's on of the best, but he's still not a good defender and not as dangerous Offensively as the other three, not that there is a huge margin.

Plus that's just counting SG's and SF's. Shaq, Duncan, and KG are all arguably better players than James right now.

James is a great player but I wish people would stop the overhype machine.

[Skins11]

James, as in Lebron? Are you joking?

Lebron was MUCH less impressive than he was last year. Still good, but he didn't really improve on anything, except boost his stats a bit. Maybe he is a bit more polished.

Wade was awesome last year, and more polished this year.

Both these guys already had tremendous years last year. However, the amount of improvement of these guys from last year is not even close to enough to garner a Most Improved Player award.

[Chachie]

I sort of see the MIP Award as one that's given to players who "graduate" from mediocrity while in the NBA. Wade and James left mediocrity in junior high. :)

[Warhead36]

Originally posted by jbooma
hmmm so he had a contract year, and he improved, wow what a concept :doh:



So did Gilbert Arenas.

[Leonard Washington]

i guess there's nothing wrong with wizards scouting/gm department. we've been finding some talented guys. unfortunately we haven't been able to get these guys to play well for us. coaching?

[TheSteve]

Originally posted by Leonard Washington
i guess there's nothing wrong with wizards scouting/gm department. we've been finding some talented guys. unfortunately we haven't been able to get these guys to play well for us. coaching?

You bet. Coaching and terrible GM's who traded away that young talent for the Mitch Richmonds, Rod Stricklands, and Christian Laettners of the world.:doh:

Think of this front line:

Chris Webber, Rasheed Wallace, Ben Wallace

With these guards:

Rip Hamilton, WHO CARES WHAT PG.

That's a championship team right there.:laugh:

[Leonard Washington]

how about a sober rod strickland at point? :laugh:

[Warhead36]

Originally posted by Leonard Washington
how about a sober rod strickland at point? :laugh:

Ain't that an oxymoron?

[jbooma]

Originally posted by TheSteve
Sorry, but James is not the best player in the NBA Jbooma.

T-Mac, Kobe, Wade, are all better wing players than he is. They have better defense, a more complete offensive game than he does. Numbers dont tell the whole story. He's on of the best, but he's still not a good defender and not as dangerous Offensively as the other three, not that there is a huge margin.

Plus that's just counting SG's and SF's. Shaq, Duncan, and KG are all arguably better players than James right now.

James is a great player but I wish people would stop the overhype machine.


I would disagree, were all of them averagaing 20+, 7,7, you know Roberston numbers at the age of 20!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry but Lebron is the best, he has nothing else on that team and almost had them in the playoffs.

You mentioned KG and Kobe, well aren't they sitting at home with teams better then then James :rolleyes:

[Leonard Washington]

james is vert vert good, but its hard to say if he's the best in the league. its easy to score a lot of points on a bad team.

[TheSteve]

Originally posted by jbooma



I would disagree, were all of them averagaing 20+, 7,7, you know Roberston numbers at the age of 20!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry but Lebron is the best, he has nothing else on that team and almost had them in the playoffs.

You mentioned KG and Kobe, well aren't they sitting at home with teams better then then James :rolleyes:

Elton Brand has been putting up 20/10 on bad teams his entire career.

James is a great player, but he's not the best. His overall game is not as polished nor is he as dangerous when he's on. Not that there is a huge gap, but there is a gap.

KG, played half the season without a real head coach. Kobe, played half his season without his head coach. The Lakers were in contention for the 6th spot in the West before Rudy resigned. Then they tried to play the fool and install the triangle midseason. The result? Mass chaos and global dissarray. They missed the playoffs.

You hang on LeBron jock but what does it say when the BEST PLAYER IN THE LEAGUE has his team in the PLAYOFFS and control their own destiny LATE in the season, not midseason and they start to slide, but LATE in the season, and they lose a bunch of games and choke away the playoffs? We're just talking one more win, one win against all the sorry teams Cleveland played and they couldnt get it done..

Sorry, but the best in the league right now is Duncan or Shaq with Garnette slightly behind. The best wing players are T-Mac and Kobe with LeBron slightly behind. The best PG's are Kidd and Nash.

[Skins11]

Originally posted by TheSteve


Elton Brand has been putting up 20/10 on bad teams his entire career.

James is a great player, but he's not the best. His overall game is not as polished nor is he as dangerous when he's on. Not that there is a huge gap, but there is a gap.

KG, played half the season without a real head coach. Kobe, played half his season without his head coach. The Lakers were in contention for the 6th spot in the West before Rudy resigned. Then they tried to play the fool and install the triangle midseason. The result? Mass chaos and global dissarray. They missed the playoffs.

You hang on LeBron jock but what does it say when the BEST PLAYER IN THE LEAGUE has his team in the PLAYOFFS and control their own destiny LATE in the season, not midseason and they start to slide, but LATE in the season, and they lose a bunch of games and choke away the playoffs? We're just talking one more win, one win against all the sorry teams Cleveland played and they couldnt get it done..

Sorry, but the best in the league right now is Duncan or Shaq with Garnette slightly behind. The best wing players are T-Mac and Kobe with LeBron slightly behind. The best PG's are Kidd and Nash.

So you are saying Kobe is better than Lebron, or what?

If Kobe is such a cornerstone, how come his team is so pathetic? Is it more pathetic to not be in the playoffs, or to just miss out on them?

Lest you forgot, Lebron's coach was fired when the Cavs were actually doing pretty well record-wise. Since that, they never recovered.

[Renegade7]

Is he a foward? Why don't we bring him back?

[hands11]

Originally posted by jbooma
hmmm so he had a contract year, and he improved, wow what a concept :doh:

Sorry but I still think Wade or James deserved it, James just blew up this year and become the best player in the NBA.

This is a nice story but the clips have been out of the playoffs since December.

and how many players in contract years didnt improve.

Letting Simmons go was a mistake.
Not playing here more when he was here was a mistake.
using a draft pick on Hayes when we already had the real deal here was a mistake. We could have drafted something we needed, not something we already had.

But that is what you do when you dont have a real GM.
We are in much better shape now. EG proved this by keeping what we had to see what they really can do.

Now I hope we play Profit before we let him go.

[hands11]

Originally posted by Renegade7
Is he a foward? Why don't we bring him back?

He would play the SG/SF.

We already have Hughes and Hayes there. He would basicaly replace Hayes which is fine by me. Sign the proven talent and send Hayes somewhere else. Then you get a real PF and play AJ off the bench.

GIL
Hughes
Simmons
PF
Haywood.

But I dont think this is going to happen. This offseason should be interesting. We can change this teams in a few diffferent ways.

It still all really depends on if Gil can learn to be the floor general and PG. The ball has to make it to the paint. By driving or my passing. We need to play with 5 players.

[Gichin13]

If I had to pick one guy to build around, it would be tough not to pick LeBron. Start with the overall package, factor in his age, and the guy has a really positive coachable attitude.

If I had to pick one guy to take over a game and dominate, I would pick Shaq.

If I had to have one guy with the ball at the end of the game, Kobe or T Mac.

If I had to pick one guy to be the focus of my team overall right now (as opposed to building for the future), I would want Tim Duncan.

And grats to Simmonds -- I always thought he looked pretty good here, but is playing time was so up and down it was tough for him to get into a groove. Never thought he would average 16 plus a game though, pictured him more as 8-10 ppg off bench, solid defender, low TOs.