It sure sounds like Gregg Popovich will be back next year
By Mike Luciano
Gregg Popovich will likely be back with the Spurs next season.
The San Antonio Spurs, who picked up five championships over the last two decades thanks to Gregg Popovich’s über-consistent style of coaching, will not be in the playoffs in 2020, as their porous defense that ranked 25th in the NBA wasn’t good enough to make it to the postseason. Despite rumblings that this could be it for Popovich in San Antonio, he seems to think he’ll be back in 2020.
Popovich all but confirmed that he will return as Spurs coach in 2020-21, asking “why not?” when questioned on if he’ll stick around following a subpar 2019-20 season.
Gregg Popovich on coaching next year: "Why wouldn't I?"
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) August 14, 2020
Gregg Popovich missed the playoffs for the first time in decades.
Popovich’s Spurs made the playoffs in 22 consecutive seasons, a streak that was tied for the longest in NBA history. Unfortunately, several contributing factors worked against San Antonio this season, and those factors prevented San Antonio from challenging for that elusive No. 8 seed after a 32-39 finish.
DeMar DeRozan was essentially forced to carry this team in the bubble, as an injury to LaMarcus Aldridge robbed them of arguably their best all-around player. Even when both of their stars were healthy, the lack of a reliable tertiary scorer all but doomed San Antonio’s chances for success in 2020.
Popovich will likely be the coach of the Spurs until he decides to retire. Considering what could be a major transitional period on the horizon in which San Antonio might need to start planning for a rebuild, one has to wonder how much longer he will be in charge.
Following wins by the Grizzlies and Suns, the Spurs have been eliminated from the postseason for the first time since the 1996-97 season.
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) August 14, 2020
That snaps a streak of 22 consecutive seasons in which the Spurs made the playoffs, tied for the longest streak in NBA history. pic.twitter.com/ljawkK6XLD
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The Spurs might be watching the postseason at home for the first time in several years, but Popovich wasn’t given much to work with as the West around him started to improve. If they continue to hit home runs in the draft, the Spurs might be able to make it to the playoffs once again despite the competition in the West.