While both Patty Mills and LaMarcus Aldridge are thriving with the Brooklyn Nets since leaving the San Antonio Spurs, Gregg Popovich has no regrets letting them walk away.
Ahead of the Spurs-Nets showdown on Friday, Coach Pop was asked about his thoughts on Mills and Aldridge contending for a championship with the Nets while the Spurs are rebuilding and likely to miss the playoffs once again.
For Popovich, however, he sees it as a “win-win” situation since the two are fighting for a title while the Spurs can go on a full rebuild and give their young guys more opportunities to play and learn.
“This has been a win-win for everybody because our guys have continued to grow,” Popovich shared, per Paul Garcia of Project Spurs.
True enough, while the Spurs are no longer the playoff contenders they once were–making it to 22 straight postseasons until the streak ended in 2019-20–there is no doubt their future looks bright with a plethora of young talent developing under Gregg Popovich.
Dejounte Murray, Keldon Johnson and Lonnie Walker IV lead the youth movement in San Antonio, and the Spurs still have developing young players in the likes of Devin Vassell and rookie Josh Primo. They are all being given the opportunity to compete at a high level every night, something they wouldn't have been able to do if the team is still filled with veterans.
Meanwhile, LaMarcus Aldridge and Patty Mills are in a really good position to win a championship alongside the Big 3 of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden.
Indeed, that is a win-win.