ANTIPOLO – Jonathon Simmons is eyeing to make the most out of his remaining days with NLEX by honoring the ‘deal’ he made with head coach Frankie Lim.
That’s winning all his four games with the Road Warriors, half of which the former NBA cager has already accomplished after leading his side past a hard-fighting NorthPort to go 2-0 in the PBA Governors’ Cup, Saturday night.
“Yeah, that’s the deal,” he said in the postgame presser of their 121-112 victory at the Ynares Center here.
“That’s the deal we agreed upon.”
Simmons will only play for NLEX for the said amount of games as he’s said to go back to China and accept a more lucrative offer in the CBA.
So, it means that his final two games will be against TNT on February 1, and versus Phoenix Super LPG three days later.
The 33-year-old, though, doesn’t want to look too far ahead as his sights are locked in on the present, as evidenced by his fine play for the club.
Against the Batang Pier, Simmons produced 33 points on a 48-percent clip, alongside eight rebounds and five assists against seven turnovers.
“Right now, I’m just worried about competing with the guys, with coach, with what he’s asking us to do, and just kind of going from there,” he said.
Still, Simmons kept the possibility of him staying with NLEX for the rest of the conference open when asked about it once again.
“We don’t know,” said the Texas native, who has spent the last two years playing in China. “We don’t know. But if not, I’ll be back.”
Lim, of course, is hoping that he’ll remain.
“Actually, we will hide his passport so he cannot go. Maybe burn it or something,” the veteran mentor said in jest.
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The second game of each PBA gameday is live-streamed on SMART Sports.
