The San Antonio Spurs have not had the best of weeks. First, they lost their superstar and 2023 No. 1 overall pick, Victor Wembanyama for the season due to blood clots in his right shoulder. On Thursday, it was announced their legendary head coach, Gregg Popovich, would not return the season after he suffered a mild stroke in November.
Where Spurs Go Next After Losing Popovich and Wembanyama
Could Their Draft Lottery Odds Improve?
The Spurs, one of the more successful franchises this century, have had some hiccups these past couple of seasons. Nonetheless, the future is bright, although these are tough losses at the moment. For starters, the Spurs are optimistic that Wembanyama’s blood clots will not keep him out for a long period of time and that he will recover in time to play next season. After returning from the All-Star Game, the 21-year-old told the Spurs’ medical staff that his arm didn’t feel normal. However, they are positive that he will be back next season and lead the Spurs back to glory.
While it stings for now, as the Spurs had playoff/play-in aspirations, it could work out for San Antonio in the long run. According to Tankathon, the Spurs have the ninth-best odds to land the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, at 4.5 percent. If the Spurs continue to drop games, those odds could increase, and if they are lucky enough, they could be able to select one of the best prospects in the last decade, Duke’s own Cooper Flagg. Flagg is projected to be this year’s top pick and has all the tools to be an All-NBA caliber player for years to come. The potential pairing of Flagg and Wembanyama would be a scary sight for the 29 other teams.
Who Could Replace Gregg Popovich if He No Longer Coaches?
Popovich stated that he will not return as coach this season but hopes to return in the future.
“I’ve decided not to return to the sidelines this season,” Popovich said in a statement issued Thursday. “Mitch Johnson and his staff have done a wonderful job and the resolve and professionalism the players have shown, sticking together during a challenging season, has been outstanding…Iwill continue to focus on my health with the hope that I can return to coaching in the future.”
However, if he cannot return for some reason, there are a handful of names who could take over the mantle. A handful of names that come to mind are Mike Brown, James Borrego, who started his NBA coaching experience as an assistant with the Spurs, and Sam Cassell.
Borrego would be the best candidate if the Spurs decide to keep it with someone they know. He was recently the head coach for the Charlotte Hornets and was in the running for the Lakers head coaching job last summer. The 47-year-old has championship experience with the Spurs, and if Pop can no longer go, expect them to go after him or the other candidates mentioned.
Photo credit: © Kyle Terada-Imagn Images
