Westbrook to the Celtics?

[Dr. Jones]

A little off topic, but my 13-year-old son and his friends went to the Jazz-Sixers summer league game and Boston played the other game. Jaylen Brown signed autographs and mingled with all of the kids for a long time. They couldn't say enough good things about Jaylen. Ben Simmons wanted nothing to do with anyone, didn't sign any autographs, and didn't even look at the kids hoping to meet him. Boston probably just won over some fans due to Jaylen. Two of my son's friends are among the best in the state at basketball and probably a lock for college scholarships. Afterwards we talked and their dissapointment with Simmons was pretty strong. The experience probably brought home the importance of respecting the fans and the game.

Simmons has a long history of this.
Thankfully there are more players like Jaylen than there are players like Ben.

 

[BTP]

A little off topic, but my 13-year-old son and his friends went to the Jazz-Sixers summer league game and Boston played the other game. Jaylen Brown signed autographs and mingled with all of the kids for a long time. They couldn't say enough good things about Jaylen. Ben Simmons wanted nothing to do with anyone, didn't sign any autographs, and didn't even look at the kids hoping to meet him. Boston probably just won over some fans due to Jaylen. Two of my son's friends are among the best in the state at basketball and probably a lock for college scholarships. Afterwards we talked and their dissapointment with Simmons was pretty strong. The experience probably brought home the importance of respecting the fans and the game.

To keep stuff in perspective: Simmons job description isn't signing autographs, it's playing (and winning) basketball games. Some players might like to spend the last 60 min before a game in solitude as it helps them gain focus, deal with tension/expectations.
Others may take a different approach and try to stay loose, distract themselves.

Did they try again after the game was over?

 

[Dr. Jones]

To keep stuff in perspective: Simmons job description isn't signing autographs, it's playing (and winning) basketball games. Some players might like to spend the last 60 min before a game in solitude as it helps them gain focus, deal with tension/expectations.
Others may take a different approach and try to stay loose, distract themselves.

Did they try again after the game was over?

He would be working at Wendy's if it wasn't for the fans.
So, yeah, I do consider it part of the job.

 

[BTP]

He would be working at Wendy's if it wasn't for the fans.
So, yeah, I do consider it part of the job.

Obviously, but being negatively polarizing can also be a quality asset from a marketing standpoint as it helps outline the positives of others, when we're talking about it like this.
In a vacuum it's probably not good.

I also think it's ****ty to completely stop any interaction with fans(especially younger ones), but at the same time I realize that the last hour before tip off can be a time reserved for focus. If he doesn't perform because he isn't focused, then he'll get no NBA paychecks no matter how good he is with kids and writing his signature on different surfaces. Athlete first, entertainer second.

 

[RJF]

I'm seeing rumors of Griffin to Boston now...

 

[green]

To keep stuff in perspective: Simmons job description isn't signing autographs, it's playing (and winning) basketball games. Some players might like to spend the last 60 min before a game in solitude as it helps them gain focus, deal with tension/expectations.
Others may take a different approach and try to stay loose, distract themselves.

Did they try again after the game was over?

His job is to keep fans happy. Winning is part of that. Not being a dick to fans is part of that.

 

[BTP]

His job is to keep fans happy. Winning is part of that. Not being a dick to fans is part of that.

Well just because someone feels mistreated doesn't always mean a 3rd person observer would come to that conclusion as well. There surely are officials Sixers events where the players are required to write signatures for an hour. Just because a player doesn't want to do it in a certain 30 min time frame doesn't mean he's generally like that, despite it being quite possible as indicated here that Simmons in particular has a history of neglecting fans.

 

[BTP]

Westbrook on the Celtics would be interesting btw. They'd still need 1 more piece, but maybe next year's free agency...

 

[The Midnight]

I'm seeing rumors of Griffin to Boston now...

BOS so desperate to get a big name player there, kinda embarrassing...

 

[green]

BOS so desperate to get a big name player there, kinda embarrassing...

I think Ainge thought that he did it once with Garnett and Allen, that it would be easy to do again. He brought in Horford, who is his Pierce. Now there should be a Garnett and Allen that are just dying to come to Boston, right?

 

[The Midnight]

I think Ainge thought that he did it once with Garnett and Allen, that it would be easy to do again. He brought in Horford, who is his Pierce. Now there should be a Garnett and Allen that are just dying to come to Boston, right?

Well Horford is the first big name they've brought in via FA in like decades, cos remember Garnett and Allen came via trades...


So really, FAs have shunned them for ages and ages...

 

[str8line]

To keep stuff in perspective: Simmons job description isn't signing autographs, it's playing (and winning) basketball games. Some players might like to spend the last 60 min before a game in solitude as it helps them gain focus, deal with tension/expectations.
Others may take a different approach and try to stay loose, distract themselves.

Did they try again after the game was over?

Good point. Not sure but that is a definite possibility. Context...