Having been hired as the head coach of the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces back in December, Spurs assistant Becky Hammon finished the regular season with San Antonio, but left the team this week, head coach Gregg Popovich confirmed before Wednesday’s play-in game vs. the Pelicans.
“She had to go,” Popovich said, according to Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. “They had the draft on Monday and camp is going to start. She has to get ready. That’s not a good thing for us.”
When the Spurs’ season came to an end with a loss in New Orleans on Wednesday, the focus shifted to Popovich’s own future. He hasn’t offered any hints about how much longer he’ll coach the Spurs and told reporters it was “inappropriate” to ask about his plans immediately after the club’s season ended on Wednesday.
According to veteran reporter Marc Stein (Twitter link), some people in Spurs circles believe the 73-year-old will coach the team for at least one more season, but they all acknowledge that only Popovich knows for sure.
In a column for The Express-News, Mike Finger writes that when Popovich does decide to call it a career, he’ll probably only make a brief announcement and retire immediately rather than embarking on a year-long farewell tour. But, like everyone else, Finger isn’t sure if that will happen this spring, or a year or two down the road.
Here’s more on the Spurs:
- Asked after Wednesday’s game about his upcoming restricted free agency, Lonnie Walker said he’s “hopeful to be back,” but indicated he’ll leave those conversations up to his representatives (Twitter link via Matthew Tynan). Walker is San Antonio’s only major free agent this summer — their other four FAs are either coming off two-way contracts (D.J. Stewart Jr., Robert Woodard II) or spent most of the season on two-way deals (Joe Wieskamp, Devontae Cacok).
- Although the Spurs have missed the playoffs for three straight seasons, this will likely be the first year since 1997 that they’ll have a top-10 pick, writes Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News. Their first-rounder will almost certainly land at No. 9 or 10 if it doesn’t move into the top four. The Spurs can’t expect to do as well as they did in ’97 (when they drafted Tim Duncan), but that pick should give them a chance to land a cornerstone player, and they’ll also control two other 2022 first-rounders, from Toronto and Boston.
- In his preview of the team’s offseason, ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Insider link) identifies rebounding as one of the Spurs’ biggest needs and explores their cap situation. Outside of Walker’s free agency, San Antonio also faces an important decision on Keldon Johnson, who will be eligible for a rookie scale extension.
Wouldn’t hurt to see the Spurs move up to a top 5 pick if they package all three of their first rounders, with one of them being a top ten. Murray is cemented and they have some nice depth pieces. Another young star would get that rebuild off to a quick start.
Depends on who is there.. AJ Griffin could very well fall to them if he is their guy.
Orlando Robinson would be perfect for these guys at the 9 or 10 pick. He can be for them what Ayton is for Phoenix.. I’m thinking Lonnie ends up elsewhere. He could end up in Orlando or replacing his former college teammate Bruce Brown in Brooklyn… Spurs should be aggressive in free agency going after guys like Zach LaVine/Jalen Brunson/Vic Oladipo imo… I’d throw the max at Zach but even if he doesn’t bite, a squad of Dejounte/Tre/Primo/Oladipo/Keldon/Max Christie/Vassell/Romeo/Dougie/KBD/Pat Baldwin Jr/Poeltl/Orl Robinson/Zach Collins would be deep, brimming with potential & would be highly likely to continue improving esp if Oladipo would sign a 1yr deal $10-15M. Probably a play-in team again but whoever succeeds Pop would be set up nicely
Orlando Robinson is projected to barely get drafted or go undrafted
Lol you must be looking at a scouting report from last yr or something
Nbadraft.net has him at 25th
Nbascoutinglive has him at 36th
Nba draft room has him listed as a possible second round pick
BleacherReport doesn’t even have him on their big board
Tankathon has him 51st
Sportsnaut have him going 57th
Sankara he’s a second round prospect. Looks like he will do well in summer league and probably the g league aswell but needs some development. Looks like a possible sleeper if he lands in the right spot
I know they are close,
So what if as a stop gap, Bobby Knight took over the Spurs for a few years and Poppa goes into the front office?
Possibly the funniest thing I’ve seen all week
They need a decent big – a 6’10” scorer.
Poetl is good, but is a liability at the end of games due to his horrific free-throw %. He’s best as a complement to a star 4. They need that as they are loaded with very good guards and wings.
Poetl would be great as that Oberto/Splitter/Elson 5 Pop ran alongside Duncan.
You just described Orlando Robinson, the guy I suggested they draft. Except the Spurs need a guy that’s more than decent & Robinson is def more than decent
I hope they don’t extend keldon. He got exposed last night. Isn’t big enough for sf/pf, isn’t quick enough for guards. Only beats up on sorry teams. Only makes sense on a struggling/ rebuilding team.
To even remotely suggest that the Spurs won’t/shouldn’t extend Keldon is one of the most ridiculous things I’ve heard in a very long time. The dude is only 22 and you’re acting like he’s a 35 year old vet on the decline. His contract extension could end up being one of the best contracts in the league if he continues to develop the way he did over the course of the season.
How’s it ridiculous? Did you watch the game last night? Keldons been given a golden opportunity to thrive with the best development staff in the league to guide him. Started over 130 games last 2 years. And what to show for it? Can’t guard anyone. Can’t create his own shot. Only knows how to play with energy. There’s a reason he was a bottom round pick. Only reason he can have one of the best contracts in the league is bc no other team is dumb enough to pay him anything substantial. You probably just watch highlights not worth arguing with
Love for them to get Keegan Murray or Jalen Duren in the draft. Both should go between 5 and 10. Obviously if they fall in the top 4, Banchero, Smith or Holmgren would be fantastic.
Why would Popovich quit? He looks, sounds keen.
He kept telling the team to slow down and “You have the time”… The Spurs were too sped up and could not hit shots.
A slower-type center (like Orlando Robinson) could help there and he is in their range. So is Malachi Branham. Just avoid AJ Griffin, as he has the same problem and they already have his type.