San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich and the Brooklyn Nets each had a disappointing end to the 2019-20 season – Pop saw his Spurs’ 22-season playoff streak come to an end, and the Nets got handily swept in the first round after an injury-riddled, whirlwind campaign.
Through that, though, both sides suddenly look like they can form a great partnership: Pop, who’s now 71-years-old, doesn’t need to endure the Spurs’ rebuild, while the star-studded, big-market Nets, are in need of a high-profile coach.
Obviously, Gregg Popovich leaving the San Antonio Spurs is almost impossible – even saying or imagining it seems weird. Pop has been with the franchise for 26 years, and he’s one of the biggest reasons why the Spurs are a class organization. Why would he leave and how can one believe he’ll turn his back on them?
Well, it’s because the off-season, time and again, has proved that we really don’t know much what goes behind the scenes. LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh teaming up in their 20s, Kevin Durant joining the Golden State Warriors, and Kawhi Leonard plotting all seemed impossible, yet it all happened. Even if we switch sports, there will be similar cases. Who knew Tom Brady would ever leave the New England Patriots?
While it’s definitely a long shot, there are considerable reasons why Pop may surprise the basketball world. Let’s get to it:
Nets GM Sean Marks
There’s a small connective tissue between the two parties: Nets general manager Sean Marks played for Pop from 2003 to 2006, and served as his assistant coach from 2013 to 2016, right before he joined the Nets. It’s an important aspect as Pop may only allow himself to be swayed by one of his former guys.
Also, having worked together, Marks knows Pop and understands how to pitch the opportunity.
Coaching continuity in San Antonio
Pop’s coaching tree is arguably the best in basketball – Mike D’Antoni, Mike Budenholzer, Brett Brown, Mike Brown, James Borrego, and Jim Boylen, to name a few, are former assistants that became head coaches.
The current crop includes Tim Duncan, Becky Hammon, and hot coaching commodities, Will Hardy, Chip Engelland, and Mitch Johnson. There’s a possibility that Pop may leave to assure that one of his assistants won’t get signed away again, which will then allow a smooth transition in San Antonio.
Better upside
The Spurs still have proven All-Star-level players in LaMarcus Aldridge and DeMar DeRozan, and they also have a couple of interesting young players – Derrick White, DeJounte Murray, and Lonnie Walker. However, that team is bordering rebuild mode and it can’t really compete with what the Nets have on tap.
The Nets have Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, and they’re supporting cast may be even good enough to be a playoff team barring any turmoil, which is something that Pop can definitely manage and fix.
The team’s second tier is simply a solid collection of support for Durant and Irving – former All-Star DeAndre Jordan, rising swingman Caris LeVert, playmaker Spencer Dinwiddie, sharpshooter Joe Harris, defensive big man Jarrett Allen, and ‘3 and D’ specialist Taurean Prince. Heck, even if we go down the line, the list will still be very promising.
The roster may have struggled this season, but they’re talented enough to give Pop to have a real chance at riding off to the sunset with a sixth championship ring. Just imagine the firepower of Gregg Popovich, Kevin Durant, and Kyrie Irving.
A master of adaptation
Coach Pop has also shown that he is adaptable, and not a slave to a single style of play. He’s fit his systems to the personnel that he had and continually found success.
Let’s not forget how the Spurs managed to grind out wins during what could possibly be the NBA’s most boring era. If you don’t remember, here are some of the scorelines at the end of Spurs wins in the 2000s:
- 67-67 against the Miami Heat (2003)
- 71-67 against the Houston Rockest (2003)
- 72-65 against the Portland Trail Blazers (2008)
- 72-70 against the Charlotte Hornets (2000)
But by the time Pop had a team that could shoot, pass, and hit the three, he managed to maximize the abilities of people like Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green to a 4-1 NBA Finals victory over the Miami Heat.
If you think Pop can’t get those results on a team that has talents like Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant, and Caris Levert, then you may be crazy.
At the end of the day, it’s still almost impossible to imagine him leaving the Spurs. But if he did, he could probably figure out a way to get back to the NBA Finals.
