San Antonio Spurs Rumors: Brooklyn Nets coming after Gregg Popovich

The San Antonio Spurs head coach is rumored to be targeted by the Nets

San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich is indisputably one of the best coaches in NBA history and one of the best in the league right now. Managing superstars, developing young players, and building a sustainable culture, Pop does it all. It’s no wonder other teams covet him.

Over the past few years, the Brooklyn Nets have been one of the plucky underdogs of the Eastern Conference. Led by a front office full of former Spurs, the Nets have built an attractive team that seemed one or two pieces away from title contention.

Then, last summer, they got the superstars they needed to take them over the top. Next year, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving will be leading a Nets team that is sure to be one of the favorites to win the East. But the dramatic shift that’s going to come from transitioning from a team that was built around a roster of guys who seemed to be on an even level to one that’s dominated by the presence of two of the best players in the NBA is sure to have it’s growing pains.

The Brooklyn Nets are coming after Gregg Popovich this summer

In order to help them get back to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2003, the Brooklyn Nets will reportedly be coming after the famed San Antonio Spurs head coach. Dan Woike with the Los Angeles Times was one of the first to report on this development.

“The lovable underdog days of the Nets are numbered, with league sources, including those familiar with the Nets and the Spurs, expecting Brooklyn to explore bringing the NBA’s biggest coaching name — Gregg Popovich — to the Nets’ sidelines.”

Woike was quick to add that Brooklyn will “almost certainly will be unsuccessful” in their pursuit of Popovich. Which, given the amount of time that he’s spent in San Antonio and the legacy he’s built there, isn’t at all surprising.

This isn’t the first time that we’ve heard about the Nets preparing to make a run at Pop. Earlier this summer they were rumored to be preparing a “Godfather offer” for the future Hall of Famer. Where there’s smoke there’s fire and there’s surely some legitimacy to these rumors. After all, who wouldn’t want Pop leading their team?

He’s got a relationship with the Nets GM and former Spurs player and coach, Sean Marks, as well as previous experience coaching Durant, Irving, and DeAndre Jordan thanks to the time the quartet shared with Team USA. But that doesn’t mean that he’s going to walk away from a job that he’s said he plans on returning to and seems to be enjoying.

Frankly, it’s kind of surprising that people are still reporting on these rumors. Especially given the low chance they have of amounting to anything. It’s true that anything can happen in this league and stranger partnerships have happened but it just feels strange to have Pop mentioned as a potential coach of anyone but the Spurs.

The San Antonio Spurs head coaching job is Pop’s to have for as long as he wants it. And whenever he does decide to hang up his clipboard the Spurs are lucky enough to have more than a few candidates in the house who would be outstanding replacements for the legendary leader of the franchise.