After a difficult week that saw San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama ruled out for the rest of the season, they got worse news. ESPN's Shams Charania revealed that Spurs coach Gregg Popovich won't return this season. His future with the team that he's spent more than 30 years with also remains questionable after he suffered a mild stroke earlier this season.
San Antonio Spurs' Hall of Fame coach Gregg Popovich is not expected to return this season, and his future is uncertain as he recovers from a mild stroke suffered in November, league sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/EekHlDa8NI
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 23, 2025
During his absence, Mitch Johnson has been the coach, and his performance has been questionable at best, leading to concerns about who will coach the team if Pop can't. The Spurs obviously won't focus on that now with them having about 2 months remaining in their season, but it could make or break their plans to build around Wemby.
After all, if they were to settle on a mediocre coach, then it could limit their ceiling. Popovich was well known for crafting top 10 defenses, with most of his teams often finishing in the top 10 or even the top five in defensive rating.
On top of that, he was often able to get his best players easy shots, putting them in the position to succeed and putting pressure on opposing defenses to stop them. Thus far, Johnson hasn't proven that he can do either, but perhaps he could grow into that role if given the chance.
If Greg Popovich isn't able to coach the San Antonio Spurs, who could be his successor?
If Popovich doesn't return next season, they could make Johnson the next coach. That would be the most likely option, with the Spurs likely wanting to have their next coach remain in the role long-term. Johnson has already been with the Spurs for seven seasons but is also one of the youngest coaches in the NBA, with him still being in his 30s.
Alternatively, they could opt for a more experienced approach and hire a championship coach, such as former Spurs assistant Becky Hammon. However, she is currently coaching the Las Vegas Aces in the WNBA.
A more outside-the-box idea would be to offer the job to Chris Paul. Paul is still playing, but if he were to decide to get into coaching, he could fill the potential void left by Popovich's potential retirement. Or, if he isn't ready to call it a career, he could become a player-coach, something that was relatively common. during the early days of the NBA.
We have seen several Hall of Fame point guards transition to coaching after their careers ended. Both Jason Kidd and Steve Nash were coaching within three seasons of retiring, while fellow former player JJ Redick quickly transitioned to coaching after spending a couple of seasons broadcasting following his retirement.
Paul seems like a likely future coach, given his intricate knowledge of the X's and O's and perspective as a floor general, but he may want to finish his career first before transitioning into coaching, with him potentially having another season or two left in him before hanging it up for good.
Therefore, the Spurs may likely continue on with Johnson, even though he comes with limitations. With any luck, he will grow into that role and thrive as a coach, but it would be a hard act to follow should Popovich decide to retire this summer.