Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich doesn’t know who the team’s starting point guard will be yet after trading All-Star Dejounte Murray to Atlanta this offseason, but he knows that making up for Murray’s production will be very difficult, writes Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News.
“We have to find somebody who is going to score those points and make those assists,” Popovich said. “He was also a heck of a rebounder at his position. So there is a lot we have to fill in with him not being here.”
According to McDonald, third-year guard Tre Jones, a more traditional point guard, could be one option. Jones’ $1.8MM contract is only partially guaranteed for $500K at the moment, but becomes fully guaranteed on October 18. He realizes there’s a “big opportunity,” but he’s focused on doing what he does best — leading and distributing.
“We’ll just have to see how camp goes,” said Jones. “I am going to try to take on that role of being a leader for this group, continue to do everything I was doing – set up our team, set up guys in the right spot and let the rest take care of itself.”
Another option could be Joshua Primo, last year’s lottery pick. Primo doesn’t think he’s set in any one position, per McDonald.
“Honestly, I still feel like a position-less player,” Primo said. “I have always been a position-less player … I don’t think I am ever going to stop that, but whatever Pop needs me to do out there, I am going to do.”
Here’s more from San Antonio:
- The Spurs are excited to have Brett Brown back on the coaching staff, according to Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. Brown won four championships with the organization in various roles prior to becoming Philadelphia’s head coach for seven years. “Since ’99, we have shared basketball thoughts,” Popovich said of his close friendship with Brown. “To have that back is very meaningful for me. It comes at the right time. As a friend, his personality, his sense of humor, he is just a fantastic human being. And so, when you can combine those personal traits with the basketball skills and knowledge he has, it’s wonderful to have him back.”
- San Antonio’s G League affiliate, the Austin Spurs, have acquired the returning player rights of Chaundee Brown from the South Bay Lakers (Twitter link). Austin gave up its 2023 NBAGL first-rounder and the returning rights to Galen Robinson Jr. in the deal. Brown was briefly signed to two-way deals with the Lakers and Hawks as a rookie last season, and inked a 10-day hardship deal with Atlanta last winter. He was waived by the Hawks a few weeks ago.
- Congressman Tony Gonzales has introduced a bill to prevent the Spurs from moving amid future relocation concerns, per Benjamin Wermund of The Express-News. The Spurs are playing a couple of games in Austin this season and Austin-based billionaire Michael Dell bought a 10 percent stake in the franchise last year, notes Wermund. “No one would ever imagine the Spurs would leave San Antonio, but what if they do?” Gonzales said. “Sometimes when we say it takes an act of Congress, sometimes we have to take that seriously.”
Spurs gotta be all in on The Big Guy next yr. Anyone knows what a Franchise big can do for a team. It’s Pops n Spurs (Robinson, Duncan). The lottery next yr is deep in talent.
I could never see the Spurs moving. They are San Antonio.
They’re already playing games in Austin. While they insist they’re not moving, Austin is too big to pass up. TV market is weak in San Antonio and outside of not winning the division year after year, the financials aren’t lucrative.
But yeah, I see them going all in for the big guy and the luck of the ping pong ball.
2 NBA teams in the Dallas market is not gonna happen.
San Antonio is a prime candidate to move to Las Vegas.
Spurs are all SA has. They will never leave. They love their Spurs there. Been there a few times.
I reside in San Antonio. It’s already happening. Games already set in Austin. Will increase over the years. Heck, they can’t even maintain a triple A team for more than one year.
Austin is not the Dallas market. Unless someone wants to drive 4 hours.
San Antonio tv market is one spot behind Salt Lake, 6 spots above Austin, 8 above vegas, 19 behind seattle.
Las Vegas tv market rating didn’t stop Las Vegas from getting an NFL franchise. They will be adding basketball and baseball as well.
Sponsors will advertise in Austin if a move happened. Austin is littered with California plates. And now companies.
Trade for Westbrick and sign Lance Stephenson for the season. The amount of mistakes will surely get them #1 overall. The ping pong balls will take pity on the folks of San Antonio.