The San Antonio Spurs continue to fight. Although eliminated from playoff contention, the Spurs, now led by Stephon Castle, aim to end the season positively.
Standing near the bottom of the Western Conference, the Spurs still have a lot to work through going forward. The team must look to make moves in the off-season and hope the draft lottery falls their way. Most of all, determining the future of head coach Gregg Popovich is also key to this team’s future.
Regardless of the circumstances, the team presents a compelling opportunity for any coach looking to take the reins, especially if Popovich is forced to retire from basketball. Let’s explore and rank potential replacements for Popovich who do not have any previous connection to the Spurs, whether as players or as past assistant coaches.
5. Micah Nori – Minnesota Timberwolves Assistant Coach
Timberwolves assistant coach Micah Nori has received significant praise throughout his career and is on track to become a full-time head coach soon. A survey conducted with NBA General Managers ranked Nori as the second-best assistant coach in the league, with 17% of the votes.
Starting as a talent scout for the Toronto Raptors, a position where he stayed for eight years, Nori finally found a seat on the coach’s bench in 2009. Since then, he has been an assistant in Toronto, Detroit, Sacramento, and most recently, with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Nori has excellent experience and has coached talented players such as Karl-Anthony Towns and superstar Anthony Edwards, proving he is ready to lead another superstar like Victor Wembanyama. Furthermore, Nori is great at using different personnel, which would be very beneficial with the Spurs, as they are still trying to find the most effective rotations, especially to close out games.
When Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch was away for a short time last year, Nori kept them afloat, similar to what Mitch Johnson has done for the Spurs this year. It is only a matter of time until he gets the nod for a head coaching gig, and an up-and-coming team like the Spurs would be an excellent start for him. Nori would be a trustworthy anchor for the franchise as it heads into a new phase.
4. Terry Stotts – Golden State Warriors Lead Assistant Coach
Former Portland Trail Blazers head coach Terry Stotts is one of the league’s biggest assistant coaches. Currently sitting alongside Steve Kerr in Golden State, Stotts will not be in California for long. It is a matter of time before this offensive wizard finds a new home.
Stotts has been coaching at the NBA level since 1992, with three head coaching stints with the Atlanta Hawks, Milwaukee Bucks, and, most notably, the Portland Trail Blazers.
In his nine seasons in Portland, Stotts created one of the best backcourts of the decade with Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum. Stotts’ high scoring and attention to detail helped him mold the Blazers into one of the best regular-season teams during his tenure.
The Blazers have had trouble getting past the first round of the playoffs in most years, although they made it to the conference finals in 2019. Two years later, Stotts and Portland parted ways, and he left the franchise with the second-most wins with 402. Stotts’ experience could help a young core of San Antonio that is still trying to find its way.
Stotts has also never coached a dominant big man before, and Wemby would make him a great asset to work with. You can bet that Stotts could be the best bargain of any coach on this list, and he has “Spurs” written all over him.
3. Nate Oats – Alabama Head Coach
Nate Oats may be one of the best-kept secrets in college basketball. He has made the University of Alabama a relevant contender in the sport. Once primarily known as a football school, Tuscaloosa has recently emerged as a hub for college basketball, primarily due to Oats’ contributions. Before his time at Alabama, Oats coached the Buffalo Bulls for five seasons, leading the team to four conference championships.
Under Coach Oats, the Crimson Tide has won the SEC championship twice, reached the NCAA tournament every year since 2019, and made a trip to the Final Four in 2024. Oats’s best quality is his NBA-like coaching style, which reflects his blue-collar approach to winning games. Transitioning from a stern coach like Popovich to Oats could be seamless and may provide the young team with the grounding it needs.
Oats emphasizes an up-tempo style of play, strong team defense, and utilizing his big men to create winning opportunities for his team. He has also received praise for fostering teamwork and collaboration among his players. It’s no surprise that Alabama has had a top-10 recruiting class in each of the last three years; players are eager to play for a coach like Oats, and he deserves a chance in the NBA.
2. Mike Malone – Former Denver Nuggets Head Coach
The saying, “Winning heals all,” is one of the biggest misconceptions in human history, and the situation with the Denver Nuggets and their coach, Mike Malone, illustrates this point. When Malone took over the team in 2015, the Nuggets were still struggling to recover from the loss of Carmelo Anthony in 2011.
Over his nine full seasons in Denver, Malone led the team to the playoffs six times, advancing past the first round four times, and ultimately achieving a championship victory in 2023.
Amid this, Malone had his hand in molding Nikola Jokic into perhaps one of the best NBA players of this generation and surely the greatest European player in history. Still, behind all these wins and significant revenue from ticket sales, the conflict between Malone and the Nuggets’ management had crumbled.
Now, Malone is a bonafide top-tier target for the Spurs, and you can consider him one of the most prominent free-agent coaches in a decade. Malone possesses excellent qualities as a head coach because he is a winner, values teamwork and ball movement, and knows how to mold a team around his star player.
However, he is not number one on this list because it seems a little too far-fetched to see Malone in San Antonio for three reasons. One, it seems unlikely that the team would be willing to give Malone the 12 million per year salary he could attract from other teams.
Two, he could be willing to prove himself quickly, and regardless of whether Wemby is there or not, you know Malone would take a gig in a bigger city than the Spurs if he had the chance.
Lastly, the underlying disputes, regardless of the severity, could deter the Spurs from pursuing a deal. The franchise has always aimed to maintain transparency and high standards. As a result, Malone’s concerning departure from Denver may hinder his job search.
1. Sam Cassell – Boston Celtics Assistant Coach
Sam Cassell, an assistant coach for the Boston Celtics, is considered one of the top assistants in the league, a title he has held for the past three years. The former NBA All-Star and Champion has built an impressive resume over nearly 15 years as an assistant coach.
His ability to connect with players, stemming from his own NBA experience, gives him an advantage over other potential replacements. On the basketball court, his coaching style is modern, focusing primarily on winning games through practical three-point shooting.
Having maintained a shooter’s mindset throughout his basketball career, Cassell understands that being a good shooting team is crucial for winning in today’s NBA.
While it may become tiresome to watch teams attempt 40 three-pointers a game, Cassell and the Spurs must recognize that the league has undergone significant changes over the past decade.
Even with the French Phenom in town, they need to improve their shooting to truly take the next step. Cassell’s ability to connect with players and his determination to prove himself as a first-time NBA head coach make him a great replacement and a home-run hire for the Spurs.
