Victor’s Spurs Career is Off to Strange Start

At the time it happened, I wondered if there was anything to the security guard-Britney Spears’ story.

Sometimes these things are innocuous/nothing burgers and others they can be a precursor, sign, or even a trigger.

Whatever, I thought, this will fade into the background as just another two-day news story that nobody remembers.

And as the preseason played out, that’s just what happened. Victor took over the world for stretches of games (e.g., the flex on Chet Holmgren, the alien shenanigans against the Warriors) and all was well.

But then this season has unfolded.

Just over 1/3 of the way through and we’ve witnessed the following:

• Jeremy Sochan point guard experiment
• Victor’s teammates ignoring him
• Pop’s Kawhi-mic moment
• Victor’s jersey misspelled against the Warriors
• 18-game losing streak
• Victor stepping on a ball boy’s shoe, forcing him to miss a game

That’s a fair amount of things and happenings in just 29 games of basketball.

There’s also a clip from the preseason that’s stuck with me.

It’s where Pop talks blandly about when he found out the Spurs had won the #1 pick and thus the rights to draft Victor.

The way Pop relayed the story, the excitement in his reaction would rival that of telling his uncle about an above average sandwich shop he found near his house.

Basically, Pop said, someone called him and told him they won the lottery and he was traveling/on a plane and he replied, oh, okay, that’s nice. And that there wasn’t too much he could do and he didn’t know much about Victor but he was glad they won.

I’ve looked and looked but I can’t find the the video but that was my general takeaway from it.

That clip left a bad impression on me. One thought is why even say it? It sounds like you’re luke room temperature on Victor’s arrival.

But, on the other hand, maybe the candid non-excitement response is helpful. Maybe it helps Spurs ownership know that you’re at another point in your career.

After all, basketball’s not important right?

It’s just a game, right?

It’s completely fair for Pop to be done after 25 years of coaching, but just don’t be done and then keep coaching.

I propose the Spurs press reset very soon because we’re closing in on a lost season that we didn’t/don’t have to lose.

There’s definitely something off and Pop is the lead actor and director in this movie so I think he needs to go.

A new voice is needed and I think that voice should be Sean Elliott.

The Spurs just need someone who is solid and willing to do the obvious. Nothing fancy. No hero schemes where a center becomes the shooting guard. Just build the offense around the guy who can be the greatest basketball player who ever lived and work from there.

I also think that the Spurs should trade Jeremy Sochan and/or Keldon Johnson. As talented as both may be, if I’m GM of the Spurs, I can’t have anyone on the roster who isn’t vibing the Victor.

And I’ve seen all of the footage I need from these two. Sometimes things look okay, but other times these guys look like the cool kid at school who can’t be bothered to give Victor a high five.

It’s not like any strong chemistry or bond has been built so far and a young trade chip could net the Spurs a steady point guard who could recognize the career potential in spamming lobs Victor’s way.

I don’t get why the Spurs are treating Victor like this.

I would have thought the red carpet would have been rolled out for him the way it was for Tim Duncan.

Combined with the other strange occurrences, the Spurs have not synced with Victor the way that they should have.

And this is 100% not on Victor.

He’s been amazing from the very beginning.

Curiously this is on the Spurs end.