Pio Reina: Air, I want your assessment of Simmons.
Air Allnite: He’s a shooter, plain and simple. His scoring ability will grow if he can improve his inside game and free throw shooting. We usually get guys a little bit younger. We got him for a specific role, didn’t we?
PR: We’ll get to that. Continue, please.
AA: Offensively, he is talented, but a bit raw. His ball skills aren’t where we want. Neither is his defense. He’s not a black hole, but he’s not a good passer. Defensively, his best tool is his shooting. He’s passable on defense. He’s a good rebounder, which makes me think we can unlock his inside game offensively and maybe even on defense. To be clear, his offense is his draw. He could be the scorer off the bench, we’ve wanted.
PR: Marshall, can we make this kid playable at small forward or no?
Marshall Richards: That’s possible. Depends on how fast he improves inside. I think we should worry more about his ball skills and defense first. Get him up to speed at his position before we go adding responsibilities to him. This kid is a weapon. The versatility can come later. Get him up to speed first.
PR: What does his defense training group look like?
MR: Aside from the typical guard stuff we run? I say Ozver, Corro, Simmons, Uzek, Twaruschek, and Bodura if we can get all six in.
PR: Expect to run that after the break. Air, what does a Simmons training class look like for the guard camp?
AA: Simmons, Pasman, Uzek, Bodura, primarily. The class changes depending on what the goal is. If Marshall has defense, I’ll assume you want ball skills and offense. You could have Enfes, Frias, or Beko. The different skills make it case by case.
Byron Helm: I need to get Ozver in the big man camp with Vendrell, Twaruschek, Enfes, Pasman and Simmons. Ideally, I’d get Uzek and Frias.
AA: You just like beating up on my guards.
BH: I see three guards who can work inside. One is six feet 5, another is 6 feet 9, and the other is 6 feet 10. What’s the purpose of a big guard if you can’t exploit that kind of natural advantage when the opportunity presents itself?
PR: Marshall, Byron is right. I want to get him up to speed and see if we can use him at 2 positions.
Alternate bigs and guards with Simmons getting attention for the forseeable future.
Renato Corro: (walks into Pio’s office) Coach, you wanted to see me?
PR: I don’t have to tell you how bad that performance was, do I? You got outrebounded by a guard 19 to 12. There is no excuse for that. That’s not something we can tolerate here. That kind of performance is how you lose starting jobs. Son, you just lost yours. You have to play better. No ands, ifs, or buts about it.
BH: You’re good at what you do, but you’re going to have to be better. We’ll get you there. We’ll also get you better at what you’re not good at. You can either learn and improve, or run yourself out of here. We want you to succeed. What’s it gonna be?
RC: So I’m running the bench bunch with Leao?
BH: With a defined role you should excel in. And a path to reclaim the starting job, but we won’t make it easy for you.
RC: I’m starting before the playoffs. I’m too good to bench. In the meantime, I’ll get even better, and take control of the bench.
PR: Don’t tell me. Show me.