Gregg Popovich's next rumored contract with Spurs would be perfect for both sides

Amid all the offseason coaching changes around the NBA—most notably Monty Williams resetting the market with his humongous six-year, up to $100 million deal with the Pistons—there hasn't been a lot of coverage about the coaching situation in San Antonio.

Head Coach Gregg Popovich's deal with the team expires this offseason. While no one expects him to step away from the Spurs following their massive lottery win, he is 74. While he has likely had lengthy discussions with the team about his future, no one except Pop truly know how long he wants to stay on the sidelines.

Earlier this week, LJ Ellis of SpursTalk released an article full of offseason intel, setting the internet ablaze with speculation. Although he wrote about the likelihood of Victor Wembanyama making his Summer League debut and point guard options for San Antonio, one of the lesser discussed nuggets from this piece was Popovich and the front office having talks about a new deal with the team.

"According to a team source, if and when he officially decides to return, Popovich is expected to sign a three-year contract that will pay him in the neighborhood of $14 million per year. The contract will also allow him to opt out after either of the first two seasons. "

LJ Ellis of SpursTalk

As mentioned earlier, no one expects Pop to walk away from the Spurs, especially with the organization adding Wemby to their roster next season. According to Ellis, the French phenom could play a role in whether or not the longtime playcaller returns for another go-round in the Alamo City.

"A couple sources I’ve discussed this with believe that the addition of Wembanyama could help convince the coaching legend to stick around for a while longer."

LJ Ellis of SpursTalk

Pop hasn’t shown any signs of waning interest, and as you may be able to tell from the video below, it seems he had more fun this year than any of the previous ten seasons. Even if he wants to call it quits down the line, those opt-out clauses will allow him to approach his retirement on a year-by-year basis.

Coaching contracts are not nearly as discussed as player deals, so it may be hard to gather a solid perspective of where Pop sits compared to the rest of the field. The recent Monty Williams deal reset the market, as Popovich was the previous high-earner in the NBA, making about $13 million per year.

Whatever salary Pop ultimately earns on his new deal, Spurs fans can rest easy. The greatest head coach of all time can stick around as long as he wants and make as much as he wants in my book.

And as far as a protégé or successor goes, there are plenty of Popovich disciples on the coaching market this summer. Don’t be too surprised if a few of them sign on as assistants for the next few seasons with the hope of being chosen as the heir to his throne.