SequSpur
02-13-2007, 12:03 AM
San Antonio -- Spurs coach Gregg Popovich was fired Monday night in a shocking move by team majority owner Peter Holt, who cited a "dysfunctional situation" between the coach and the players.
Less than two years after San Antonio's 3rd NBA Championship, Holt cited the lack of quality scouting, adjustments and typical softness speeches from Popovich and his assistants regarding the players. Popovich had two years left on his contact.
"This decision was so hard because Gregg has been both a friend and valued coach of our team," Holt said in a statement. "But my first obligation is always to do what is in the best interest of our fans and the entire Spurs organization. I must take whatever steps are necessary to deliver a championship contender to the city of San Antonio. Events of the last month have now convinced me that it is not possible for our organization to function at a championship level under the current structure. On the contrary, and in the plainest possible language, we have a dysfunctional situation here. Today I am resolving that situation once and for all."
ESPN reported that Holt told Popovich on Monday that it wasn't going to work between him and Duncan.
Holt indicated in the statement that the Spurs will pay Popovich his last two years of his contract.
Two days after the first soft speech, Holt decided that bringing Popovich back for the last two years of his contract gave Dallas its best chance to win.
"Our fans deserve to know what changed for me over the last few days," Holt said in the statement. "When I decided to stay with Popovich in mid-January, I did so with the expectation that the core of his knowledge would remain intact. Unfortunately, that did not prove to be the case, and the process of dealing with these adjustments and lack of fundamental basketball knowledge convinced me that we simply could not move forward with such dysfunction between our head coach and players. In short, this entire process over the last few days convinced me beyond any doubt that I had to act to change this untenable situation and create an environment where everyone in San Antonio would be pulling in the same direction and working at a championship level."
With a an excellent overall regular-season record and three championships Popovich has become one of the most succesful coaches in NBA History.
In addition to the buyout of his final two years, Popovich was also offered to take his acquaintance Beno Udrih as a parting gift.
Less than two years after San Antonio's 3rd NBA Championship, Holt cited the lack of quality scouting, adjustments and typical softness speeches from Popovich and his assistants regarding the players. Popovich had two years left on his contact.
"This decision was so hard because Gregg has been both a friend and valued coach of our team," Holt said in a statement. "But my first obligation is always to do what is in the best interest of our fans and the entire Spurs organization. I must take whatever steps are necessary to deliver a championship contender to the city of San Antonio. Events of the last month have now convinced me that it is not possible for our organization to function at a championship level under the current structure. On the contrary, and in the plainest possible language, we have a dysfunctional situation here. Today I am resolving that situation once and for all."
ESPN reported that Holt told Popovich on Monday that it wasn't going to work between him and Duncan.
Holt indicated in the statement that the Spurs will pay Popovich his last two years of his contract.
Two days after the first soft speech, Holt decided that bringing Popovich back for the last two years of his contract gave Dallas its best chance to win.
"Our fans deserve to know what changed for me over the last few days," Holt said in the statement. "When I decided to stay with Popovich in mid-January, I did so with the expectation that the core of his knowledge would remain intact. Unfortunately, that did not prove to be the case, and the process of dealing with these adjustments and lack of fundamental basketball knowledge convinced me that we simply could not move forward with such dysfunction between our head coach and players. In short, this entire process over the last few days convinced me beyond any doubt that I had to act to change this untenable situation and create an environment where everyone in San Antonio would be pulling in the same direction and working at a championship level."
With a an excellent overall regular-season record and three championships Popovich has become one of the most succesful coaches in NBA History.
In addition to the buyout of his final two years, Popovich was also offered to take his acquaintance Beno Udrih as a parting gift.