In 2021, the San Antonio Spurs used the 12th pick in the NBA Draft to select Josh Primo, a then-18-year-old shooting guard out of Alabama. Now, a little over a year later, the Spurs have cut ties with Primo.
The news was first reported by Shams Charania of The Athletic.
The Spurs have waived guard Josh Primo.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 28, 2022
The Spurs later confirmed the news with a release on the team website. In it, CEO RC Buford said, “It is our hope that, in the long run, this decision will serve the best interest of both the organization and Joshua.”
San Antonio’s release added, “The Spurs organization, including front office executives, coaching staff and players, will have no additional comments to share at this time.”
As a rookie during the 2021-22 season, Primo averaged 5.8 points in 19.3 minutes per game while shooting 37.4% from the field, 30.7% on threes, and 74.6% on three throws. Primo has come off the bench in each of his four games this season. In that time, he’s averaged 23.3 minutes and 7.0 points per game. While his free throw percentage this season has slightly increased (7.0%), his field goal (34.6%) and three-point (25.0%) efficiency have dipped.
So, Primo has been anything but an unqualified success in the NBA. Still, he won’t turn 20 until December, was a lottery pick, and is barely into his second NBA season. He’s not the kind of player that rebuilding teams generally get rid of, particularly without getting anything in return.
So, unsurprisingly, the NBA world reacted to this news with shock, wondering what in the world happened to trigger this decision.
Stunned. They were still force feeding him minutes. And it would have had to be something that made trading him not a possibility. https://t.co/QySkk5ew4m
— John Hollinger (@johnhollinger) October 29, 2022
Gotta be a crazy story behind this. https://t.co/pv6hd2aqdc
— Colb (@___Colb___) October 28, 2022
This makes no sense from a talent standpoint. The 12th pick in the 2021 draft, the youngest player in the NBA last season, and started games at the end of the season for the Spurs and WAS GOOD.
Maybe something going on behind the scenes? https://t.co/k71N7ggVO3
— Oren Weisfeld (@OrenWeisfeld) October 28, 2022
Josh Primo was the youngest player in the 2021 NBA Draft when selected 12th to the Spurs. His on-court development absolutely had the organization excited about his NBA future. Waiving Primo so abruptly without explanation is fairly unprecedented — and jarring.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) October 28, 2022
Josh Primo is a great young talent. Scores easy. Just 19 years old. Spurs had been developing this kid. The small market Spurs don’t just drop a player like that unless something detrimental happened off the court. Not sure what. Coach Pop declined comment. Very odd situation.
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) October 28, 2022
So many questions. https://t.co/rx30RdAMXp
— J.E. Skeets (@jeskeets) October 29, 2022
it's gonna have to be some insane news coming out of this https://t.co/qpuWtkrugW
— Vivek Jacob (@vivekmjacob) October 28, 2022
I….uhhhhh…what? This has got to be something bad. https://t.co/iyHZeOPZse
— Steve Kazee (@SteveKazee) October 29, 2022
Considering the Spurs would cut him rather than send him to the G League, Primo either said something disparaging to or about Popovich, or he put his hands on someone. https://t.co/KvnQIXemIV
— Scott Koral (@sdkoral) October 29, 2022
Until more comes out, any speculation on what happened between Primo and the Spurs is just that. But all things considered, it’s hard to imagine that this decision was made solely from a basketball perspective.
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