Actually Pop might be a genius....tbh. Some thoughts after 1 Quarter into the Season.

[spursparker9]

Sure this season is a loss cause but Pop's refusal to play Tre Jones with Wemby or get a good PG is actually a strategy for the long run.

1) Without a good PG, it would force Wemby to really show the world what he have, talents and skillswise offensively. Yes, it could be ugly and expose Wemby's mistakes and weakness. But knowing Wemby's compe iveness, work ethic and willing to learn at ude, all these mistakes and embarrassment will drive Wemby to train crazy hard in the coming offseason (although the Paris Olympics might delay the training a bit).

Pop want to leave no doubts to Wemby that the NBA is "not easy". Scouts, GMs etc may praise Wemby is the best prospect of all time with GOAT potential but it is for Wemby to really understand that it will not happen automatically unless Wemby really put in real hard work in order to get somewhere. Tbh, there are just too many number 1 picks who have the talents but don't have the work ethics and drive to train hard. Pop just want this season to really drill it into Wemby's bone that he is not adequate and hence Wemby would always keep this fire burning even when he get MVPs in his latter years.

I am sure Wemby by now is already aware that he currently don't have the dribbling skills and handle to attack from the perimeter in the NBA. Take KD as example, KD trained hard after his rookie year and his handle really tightened and it became a unsolvable weapon starting from his sop re year. I remember even Kobe mentioned this in a interview (once KD tightened his handle, Kobe knew it was over. There is nothing stopping KD from driving and he became one of the best pull up shooter)

So if Wemby can start the next step like KD, his "individual" offensive skills would be up a whole notch. Wemby has shown desires to attack from the perimeter and also admitted that he watched a lot of KD's tapes. So becoming like KD is still something possible. But there is still something that can unlock Wemby's offensively even higher.

2) Now that is where a good PG comes in. Beside able to create his own shot by attacking the perimeter with a better handle, now imagine if there is a good PG who can throw him lobs to get easy transition points or at least get fouled and get to the FT line. This lob attack is something that even KD is not privileged to have. Wemby is blessed with the height and the length and the mobility to get transition points and a good PG will truly unlock Wemby's offensive talents. Pop might not want Wemby to be complacent if he can get easy points through a good PG now and results in Wemby not being motivated to train his individual offensive skills. In addition, without a good PG now, it would leave a great territory of untapped potential that Wemby can be much better (i.e. not showing the world what Wemby truly can do). What is important now is that Wemby understand by heart that he can be better individually and don't take wins for granted and be complacent.


Hence, this is why Pop is being patient and playing the long game. Yes, it might look bleak now. But once things finally come together, the Spurs could have 1 of the best turnaround wins season again.

[spursparker9]

Continue on...

On Sochan:

Yes, the PG experiment on Sochan failed and now Branham is carrying on the torch. But in this "experiment" season, Pop is just trying to audition the guys to see who would fit with Wemby when he is "ready" to takeover. Putting Sochan as the PG is a gamble and also to see what Sochan is really made of.

Can Sochan figures it out? Is there PG potential in him? Pop is simply throwing him into the fire like he did with Tony. Sink or Swim? Tony figures things out and swimmed. The NBA is a tough and cut throat league. If you are not good enough then you will be replaced and exposed eventually.

Sochan need a mid-range jumper and respectable 3% to survive in the league tbh. He is not best perimeter defender or a top rebounder. Now his playmaking skill has regressed from his rookie season and thus far he has revealed that he has tunnel vision and also the worst chemistry with Wemby.

This is only his 2nd year so Sochan still can improve. But he has to put in the hard work. Take comparison with Nephew who was not scouted for his offensive skills during his college days. But now Nephew has become one of the best unstoppable 1 on 1 player with a Jordanesque pull up jumper. It is up to Sochan to sink or swim. Or he may not get the rookie extension and he will not be with Spurs after his rookie contract ends.

[John B]

Finally someone who gets it….

Don’t forget to add.. the Spurs are about to get two top-10 lottery picks instead of one in the process, to draft or use to trade for that elusive starting point guard and/or whatever player(s) Pop sees fit to compliment Wemby’s game.

Only Pop can pull it off. He has the credentials to back him up, and assure the owners that it’s for the better. Other coaches would be pressured to win to keep their job. Not Pop. Cause while others play checkers, the PATFO plays chess and 25 moves ahead at that.

[SouthernFryd]

Geesh...lol

[MultiTroll]

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[spurraider21]

[mudd]

a genius? what about dumb luck

[TrainOfThought5]

Laying it on a little thick. But overall, a sneaky second tank while focusing on player development is ultimately ideal. The team severely lacks talent, and two top ten picks will solve that. Pop IS the only coach in the league that can lose 60ish games back to back and still keep his job, and his reputation. Wemby is literally getting better every month and guys like Branham and Vassell are starting to take steps forward. This year sucks, but at least the sacrifice looks worth it.

[SpurSpike]

Then why did Pop say before the season started that the goal this year was to win more games rather than development?

[z0sa]

This draft and having a culture of losing for your generational talent <<<<<<< winning and growing but having a lower draft pick.

Anyone advocating tanking post Wemby is a loser. You do not sacrifice a healthy season of growth for a potential MVP talent, EVER, morons.

[spursparker9]

Then why did Pop say before the season started that the goal this year was to win more games rather than development?

I think his goal is still to go with the Sochan PG experiment and of course try to win. But unlike Tony, he did not expect to Sochan totally sank and even regressed. He did not foresee that Sochan to have the worst chemistry with Wemby, after Sochan shown flashes of quality play-making skills.

Other players like Branham and Collins were expected to improve upon their good season last year, but both regressed with Sochan.

If those players can at least maintain their quality of plays from last season, Spurs would not have lost as much. I think Pop was also caught by surprise that these players got exposed. But i think Pop and Wright's backup plan is that they can still afford to do a big "reset" on the roster with all the upcoming draft picks. So, this season is ultimately still an audition for all players to see who will fit with Wemby and have a future with the Spurs. The only risk is Pop must convince Wemby to buy in or risk having him leave once his rookie contract is up.

[Tyronn Lue]

If only the Spurs could play a 1 man game. Too bad they need those other players to be more than scrubs. Which of these players would start (or even make the team) on a 2014 Spurs team?

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

You have to smart in order to lose this badly. You can't do that on accident.

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Then why did Pop say before the season started that the goal this year was to win more games rather than development?

He said that whereas before winning didn't matter, now it did. He did not say they were going to emphasize it over player development.

[Extra Stout]

I think his goal is still to go with the Sochan PG experiment and of course try to win. But unlike Tony, he did not expect to Sochan totally sank and even regressed. He did not foresee that Sochan to have the worst chemistry with Wemby, after Sochan shown flashes of quality play-making skills.

Other players like Branham and Collins were expected to improve upon their good season last year, but both regressed with Sochan.

If those players can at least maintain their quality of plays from last season, Spurs would not have lost as much. I think Pop was also caught by surprise that these players got exposed. But i think Pop and Wright's backup plan is that they can still afford to do a big "reset" on the roster with all the upcoming draft picks. So, this season is ultimately still an audition for all players to see who will fit with Wemby and have a future with the Spurs. The only risk is Pop must convince Wemby to buy in or risk having him leave once his rookie contract is up.

Sochan needs a change of scenery. rascal is right that he really wasn’t great last year, but he showed flashes. But the PG experiment utterly failed, and it’s not as though he’s thriving now back at PF. Maybe it’s true that Pop already saw that he might not fit and tried the PG experiment as a Hail Mary.

If Sochan never develops at least a serviceable shot, he won’t make it in the NBA. If he does, he’ll be a valuable utility forward. But that will happen somewhere else.

[itzsoweezee]

lol. You guys are self-parodies

[itzsoweezee]

[NASpurs]

OP is on stage 1

[weebo]

This draft and having a culture of losing for your generational talent <<<<<<< winning and growing but having a lower draft pick.

Anyone advocating tanking post Wemby is a loser. You do not sacrifice a healthy season of growth for a potential MVP talent, EVER, morons.

the morons are the ones who deluded themselves into thinking this team was going anywhere because the spurs landed a 19 YO phenom ...the Spurs aren't actively trying to tank but they aren't doing everything they can to win... this team is seriously lacking in talent.. the league has caught up with the Spurs for drafting talent in the late rounds...we need to draft higher in the draft to get literal difference makers not the keldon johnson's of the world

[spurs10]

Thanks for your post. This analogy is true in that trial by fire is always a great learning experience. Working on his ball handling and the ability to attack from the perimeter is surely part of Wemby's development and, of course, Pop knows that. I also believe that Sochan at PG was an experiment that failed, but probably gave him some lessons in taking care of the ball. It's now up to him as to whether he develops at his more natural position. It's early in the season.

It is frustrating as fans to watch blowouts like yesterday and see any silver lining. However a humiliating defeat at home is sure to send a message to these young players. If moving Wemby to the 5 had briefly improved our defense, that was blown to smithereens. They looked like a G league team playing an NBA team and just sucked on both sides of the ball, with rare anomalies like Champagnie. I'm sure Pop has been surprised by the regression of some of the guys, but again they need to right their own ships.

Although I've had serious questions about some of Pop's rotations and lineups, I also know he isn't the type of coach who just doesn't give a . It's hard for fans, especially fans who watched the most winning team in the NBA for 20 years. On here it has been transparent over the last 8 years how some of the Pop hate has come from those that hate him for calling out the race-baiting bull and lies of the moronic election deniers, but history will be on his side there....as well. So I'll continue to watch and drift away from the TV when it gets hopeless, but I do believe after a couple FRPs and a season of development we will be seeing a brighter future.

Go Spurs Go!

[CorrectCrusader]

[JeffDuncan]

So, fielding a team that’s a disgrace and an embarrassment to the franchise, while making himself look incompetent and negligent, is all an expression of Pop’s genius. Here people were, thinking the disaster was because Pop is a senile nitwit. Now at last, the profound truth is revealed, and we can all bask in the glory that sparkles from every facet of his brilliance. The next time the Spurs lose by 30 (which should be soon) we’ll have to beseech Pop to lead us in a big Riverwalk parade, in celebration of his wisdom.

[Mugen]

[poopbox]

So, fielding a team that’s a disgrace and an embarrassment to the franchise, while making himself look incompetent and negligent, is all an expression of Pop’s genius. Here people were, thinking the disaster was because Pop is a senile nitwit. Now at last, the profound truth is revealed, and we can all bask in the glory that sparkles from every facet of his brilliance. The next time the Spurs lose by 30 (which should be soon) we’ll have to beseech Pop to lead us in a big Riverwalk parade, in celebration of his wisdom.

. Sniffers gotta sniff

[Kawhi Duncan]

Unbelievable... One thing that completely destroys ur point is that it's not like they're giving Wemby the ball in spots where he can develop his 1 on 1 game... Dude basically has to fight for the ball every game... Pop is clueless and has reached a point in his life where he doesn't wanna hurt the players' feelings, so he doesn't trade, cut, or do any real coaching... He is willing to sacrifice Wemby's development for the feelings of everyone else