Coach Popovich’s next step with San Antonio Spurs organization is plain as day

Among the multitude of losses the San Antonio Spurs have suffered this season, the absence of Gregg Popovich has weighed heavier than most on the entire organization. Say what you will about the day-to-day impact of the fresh loss of Victor Wembanyama but I bet even he would admit that this hasn't been anything close to a normal season without Pop stalking the sideline.

The five-time NBA champion, three-time Coach of the Year, and heart of the Spurs organization suffered a stroke in November and has remained away from the team since then. ESPN's Shams Charania recently reported that he is not expected to return this season as he continues to recover.

In a more in-depth look at Pop's recovery and ongoings since November, Michael C. Wright noted that Popovich has been in close contact with Victor Wembanyama, has continued serving as the team's president, and regularly provides feedback to acting head coach Mitch Johnson.

The whole situation is rife with uncertainty. What does Pop's future with the Spurs look like? How is he progressing through his rehabilitation? Will he ever return to the San Antonio bench? How do the Spurs move forward from here? There's a lot we just don't know.

It's clear that the future for the Spurs is going to look vastly different than we thought it might pre-November and it's clear that it's time for a change. It's time for Gregg Popovich to take a step back.

San Antonio Spurs need to explore an advisory role for Gregg Popovich

It would be bordering on malpractice to ask Pop to step back into his role as the head coach of the Spurs at this point. This has nothing to do with his competency or his ability to do the job and everything to do with prioritizing his health and longevity.

Think about what the Spurs would be asking of him. How many times have we heard NBA players speak about how constant and draining the travel associated with the regular season is, how heavily it weighs on their bodies? And those are world-class athletes!

Think about what kind of strain that would put on a 76-year-old who has recently had a stroke. I doubt any doctor worth their license would recommend Pop step back into that kind of routine given his recent medical history.

It's in everyone's best interest if Pop takes on a reduced role, either exclusively as the team's president or, ideally, in an advisory capacity. This doesn't mean that he shouldn't be involved with the organization, only that he should continue to prioritize his health over everything else.

Taking on an advisory role doesn't mean he wouldn't be present around the team. I think you'd have to change the locks on the doors to keep Pop out and even that probably wouldn't be enough. But the Spurs have an obligation to strike a balance between sourcing Pop's expertise and wisdom and making sure he's not stretched too thin.

The San Antonio Spurs, their players, and their fans love Gregg Popovich. And I don't use that word lightly. I don't know if there are five other coaches in NBA history who have left as significant of an impact on their teams and their communities like the one Pop has in San Antonio.

With that love comes a responsibility to speak hard truths and the hard truth is that returning to the Spurs in a head coaching role isn't wise for Popovich at this point. It's time to prioritize life over basketball and embrace the changes that come with that shift.