Gregg Popovich said he wouldn’t coach in July.
Apparently, he’s taking off part of October, too.
Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports:
Spurs are going to preseason opener in Sac w/o Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker & Boris Diaw for rest. LaMarcus Aldridge will be going
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) October 7, 2015
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich also didn't make trip to Sac for preseason opener as they will be coached by assistant Ettore Messina,source says
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) October 8, 2015
It’s not that surprising to see Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Boris Diaw staying home. Veterans miss preseason games all the time just to rest. With the Spurs, it happens even in the regular season.
But it’s still a little strange to see the head coach sit out, even though Popovich also did it last year.
It makes sense, though. Who cares about this preseason game? If travelling less helps the 66-year-old Popovich stay fresh in the years ahead, that’s well worth it. Plus, it gets Messina a little extra experience. Some day, he might be the head coach.