Jonathon Simmons Rumors: Spurs Preparing Contract Offer Around $9M Per Year

The San Antonio Spurs reportedly want to keep Jonathon Simmons.

On Friday, Marc Stein of ESPN reported the Spurs have "been preparing an offer for fast-developing restricted free agent Jonathon Simmons in the $9 million range annually." The 27-year-old has never played for another NBA franchise in his career.

Simmons has been a role player for the Spurs in each of the last two seasons and played a career-high 78 games in 2016-17. He averaged 6.2 points and 2.1 rebounds a night in the regular season but improved his production in the postseason as the team dealt with injuries to Kawhi Leonard and Tony Parker.

The swingman tallied 10.5 points a night in 15 playoff games, helping to lead the Spurs to the Western Conference Finals, where they lost to the eventual champion Golden State Warriors. He scored in double figures in each of San Antonio's final seven postseason contests, including 22 in a Game 2 loss to the Warriors.

He was also a formidable perimeter defender throughout the year. Opponents shot 7.4 percent worse from three-point range and 5.0 percent worse from beyond 15 feet than their normal averages when Simmons guarded them in 2016-17, per NBA.com.

It makes sense the Spurs want to keep Simmons given his age and recent production. Parker is 35 years old, Manu Ginobili is 39 and possibly retiring, and LaMarcus Aldridge turns 32 this summer, meaning there isn't much younger star power around Leonard.

Simmons gives San Antonio youth and potential, especially after he shined in the playoffs.