Spurs' Gregg Popovich Predicts Quiet Trade Deadline: 'You Might Stay Asleep!'
Doug McDermott, Cedi Osman, and even Keldon Johnson have been included in the annual trade rumor mill this season for the San Antonio Spurs. With a pathetic 10-41 record, the last-place Spurs were expected to make a move.
And why shouldn't they? They have a superstar in the making in Victor Wembanyama, who could use a second star to play with. High-caliber role-players like Jeremy Sochan and Devin Vassell flush out a promising lineup, but Wembanyama could use someone to help carry the offense.
Not this season, apparently.
© Scott Wachter, USA TODAY
Despite the war chest of draft picks and players who could help out contenders, expect the Spurs to be quiet as the 4:00 pm trade deadline draws near. When asked about it last night, coach Gregg Popovich offered a sarcastic response.
"I think I don't think you should sleep at all!" he said. "Or have any liquor or anything like that. You might stay asleep. Be ready."
Known as a master of sarcasm who likes to poke fun at reporters looking for a scoop, his 28th trade deadline will be no different. The Spurs are rarely active at the deadline, preferring to build long-term success through the draft. Earlier in the week, Popovich hinted that this rebuild would be the same.
"Michael Jordan’s first title came in his seventh year," Pop said. "Nikola Jokic just won his first ring and it took him eight years. We have every right to hope that things will go faster for Victor, but you can’t skip stages. It takes time to build a team. If it were that easy, you’d have a different champion every year...At some point, you have to start from scratch. That’s where we are today.”
As Adrian Wojnarowski and Shams Charania fire off tweets announcing trades, don't expect the Spurs to go all-in yet. There are still a lot of questions regarding just how good the current roster can be, and this is the season where questions are answered.
