Did the date of the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year voting affect the outcome? Rather than voting immediately following the end of the regular season, the league waited to vote until after the Play-In Tournament.
It wasn’t a long visit in the play-in for the Miami Heat
Former UCLA Bruin standout Jaime Jaquez Jr. and his Miami Heat team didn’t survive the play-In, getting bounced by the Charlotte Hornets in the first of the play-In games. Jaquez eventually finished in second place for Sixth Man of the Year behind the San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson.
Jaime Jaquez almost earned Bill Simmons’ vote
A voter for the Sixth Man of the Year award, sports podcaster Bill Simmons, admitted that the delayed vote affected his vote, leading him to vote for Johnson instead of Jaquez. Simmons had previously been in good graces with UCLA, helping the school land new football head coach Bob Chesney.
A last minute change in heart
“The play-in did change my 6MOY vote,” Simmons said. “I had Jaquez over Keldon Johnson, but then Miami lost on Wednesday, and I was just like, ‘I’m going to have the 6MOY on a team that couldn’t get to the last round of the play-in?’ I switched it. That’s the league’s fault. They should’ve made us vote before the play-in game.”
A Victor Wembanyama-sized difference in the standings
Simmons’ complaints are valid. Is the award for the regular season or should it include the play-in? How much should team results affect voters’ decisions? What seed could Jaquez have gotten with the Heat if he were playing alongside Victor Wembanyama like Johnson was?
The best is yet to come for Jaime Jaquez Jr.
Jaquez is still just 25, wrapping up his third season in the NBA, he has plenty of time to rack up individual awards. Even without the award, the season was an absolute success for Jaquez, as he posted career-highs across the board.
This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: Bill Simmons changed his decision to vote for Jaime Jaquez for 6MOY