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San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich has noticed a trend of players demanding a trade from their team. Despite its possible negative effect on the league, Popovich pledged his support for the players.
As reported by Mike Finger of San Antonio Express-News, Popovich believes that such trade demands might have a “deleterious” effect on the league. But it doesn't fully mean that the three-time coach of the year is against it.
Gregg Popovich acknowledges that the trend of star players demanding trades might have negative, “deleterious” effects on the NBA. But “Having said all that, I still have to side with individuals doing what they want with the rest of their lives.”
— Mike Finger (@mikefinger) January 31, 2019
The latest superstar to demand a trade from his team is Anthony Davis of the New Orleans Pelicans. The 25-year-old said that he wants to play for a team who can contend for a championship.
That makes him the second star-caliber player to request for a trade this year. Prior to the start of the season, Jimmy Butler, who's now playing with the Philadelphia 76ers, demanded a trade from the Minnesota Timberwolves after a rumored feud with several of its players.
Apart from them, the likes of Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, Kyrie Irving have also expressed their desire to be shipped to another team.
Though Popovich did not state how it will negatively affect the league, analysts believe that such requests — especially coming from big-time players like those aforementioned — will mean that franchises will have less incentive to offer big contracts or to demand multiple-team option years or full-scale unguaranteed contracts.
