Courtney Sims' Career Takes Another Turn For The Worse

When we last saw Courtney Sims in the D-League, the reigning league MVP was coming off of the bench for the Iowa Energy, averaging 12.4 points and 6.6 rebounds in just under 20 minutes of action.

Since then, he's been plying his trade in Puerto Rico with the Capitanes de Arecibo.  The Capitanes were playing in both the PBL, a USA minor league below the D-League, as well as in the Puerto Rican BSN League.  Against the PBL teams, Sims was pretty dominant, averaging 22.3 points, 14.7 rebounds and two blocks over the three games he played.  However, in the BSN he was averaging 9.0 points and 4.4 rebounds in just less than 20 minutes.

Apparently, that wasn't good enough for whatever he was getting paid - and I have to assume he was getting paid quite well for ditching the chance at a call-up to play in Puerto Rico - because he was released yesterday according to USBasket.

This is just another in a long line of career altering issues and interesting decisions from Sims and those who represent him.

To end last season in the D-League (a great season that included call-ups to the Phoenix Suns and New York Knicks), Sims decided not to return to the Iowa Energy for the D-League playoffs after his 10-day contract with the Knicks was complete.  I didn't understand the decision, because I'm under the impression that more chances one gets to play in front of NBA decision makers, the better - and the D-League playoffs are definitely one of those opportunities.

This past Summer he was invited to play with the New Orleans Hornets in Vegas Summer League action, but declined due to shin splints.  I don't know the specifics, so I don't want to speculate if he could have played or not.  But like I said, if a player is close to an NBA contract and has an opportunity to play in front of NBA scouts, it shouldn't really be a difficult decision.

This Fall, Sims went to camp with the Atlanta Hawks, but failed to make the team.  This probably wasn't a complete surprise, as Atlanta brought in about 37 big men - Sims, Jason Collins, Garrett Siler, Randolph Morris and Othello Hunter to compete for the fourth big man spot behind Al Horford, Zaza Pachulia and Joe Smith.  Long story short, Sims didn't make the team.

He then sat at home for a few months, hoping the NBA would call, apparently.

That call came, as he had a tryout with the Portland Trail Blazers - though Anthony Tolliver eventually picked up that spot and Sims was left out in the cold again.  I actually suggested him for the job before I knew he got a tryout, but noted that his agent - Guy Zucker - hadn't been doing him any favors by having him sit at home.

Not long after that tryout, though, Sims picked up a job with CSKA Moscow in Russia.  His career is looking up!  Two weeks later, though, he was cut.

He then returned to the D-League, which I rehashed up above, along with the Puerto Rican debacle.

As much as I think Sims could be an NBA player, he doesn't seem to be making any of the right moves to be an NBA player.  It's unfortunate, really.