I agree with your points. If this is the case, if Tonys drive or ego, lol, is furthering decisions by Pop then it's truly detrimental to everything we have going for us. It would be the an hesis to what we have been known to be seen as really.
In that reality Tony wouldn't stand to be rested for games, which would allow Patty to gain the experience needed and In the games, despite Patty's good play, Tony is gonna get his minutes because Pop has to pander to his new star.
That's pretty disturbing really.
Its not as if these things don't happen in the NBA. But who knows what sort of politicking goes on beyond the scenes of an especially veiled team like the Spurs.
Again in this all conjecture, but we'll see how things progress. It's interesting to speculate. Im going to keep more of a closer eye on the body language though. It's always telling.