It took 17 seconds for extremely obvious answer to big Spurs issue to appear

The San Antonio Spurs were without head coach Gregg Popovich against the LA Clippers on Monday night, but it did not stop them from making a necessary change. Fans have been frustrated by Zach Collins's play backing up Victor Wembanyama. He struggled to be in the right positions, and the Spurs were outscored by 23 points in his first 81 minutes on the floor this season.

It is one of the many problems for San Antonio, and the dam finally broke against the Clippers. Collins was a key factor in Ivica Zubac dominating the Spurs on the glass in the first half, and he missed all five of his field goal attempts in 14 minutes on the floor. It was time to give someone else a shot.

Sandro Mamukelashvili finally got minutes in the fourth quarter and hit a 3-pointer just 17 seconds later. The Spurs desperately need a competent backup center behind their superstar. Collins is not the answer, and it is time to give Mamu a serious look.

It's time for someone else to get a real shot at big-man minutes

Collins earned a contract extension in San Antonio because he was a stretch five. His size and shooting ability stood out on a rebuilding team needing a spark, but Collins struggles to make winning plays and position himself as needed on the court.

Mamu may not be a long-term solution, but he is worth a shot. The 25-year-old big man scored five points in five minutes against the Clippers in a wild contest. San Antonio built a massive lead only to let it slip away with dreadful play in the second and fourth quarters. The bench was an issue, and it is time for the Spurs to shake things up.

If the Spurs are serious about winning, they need to consider dropping Collins from the rotation, and it is time to give Mamu a real shot. If he fails in his audition, the Spurs have another hole to fill this offseason as they attempt to build a contender around Victor Wembanyama. San Antonio must figure out who their long-term backup for Wemby is, and they already have their answer on Collins.

Sandro Mamukelashvili was a late second-round draft pick in 2021. Fans cannot expect too much, but they have seen flashes in his 70 games with the franchise. His shooting, scoring, and basketball IQ are intriguing, as is his chemistry with Wembanyama that was most evident at the tail-end of last season.

It's time for the San Antonio Spurs to figure out if he is a long-term piece or another expandable option.