Reporter asks Lonnie what Pop has told him he needs to do to get to the next level

[DJR210]

I didn't like Lonnie hanging his head after getting subbed out in the crunch time after his untimely foul.. He cussed and put his head down for a minute or so. Hope he stays hungry, him playing the final minutes in a close game is the biggest indicator of what Pop really thinks about him.

[tbdog]

He is young and he has high expectations. Pop getting him to focus on his D this early and trusting him on good players is a good sign. Walker will be unleashed next season.

[John B]

I hope you are saying that all those guys got paid and had a semblance of a NBA career after spending time in San Antonio?

Lonnie has more natural talent than all those guys and more patience than everyone (myself included) in this thread.

I think his time will come either by the end of this season or next. Plus, people forget the knocks on Lonnie were his lack offensive awareness (poor passer in college), defensive effort & all-around a en. He was getting comparisons to Rodney Stuckey or O.J. Mayo not a defensive - minded Zach LaVine - esque (which would be an all-star) player.

He didn't slip in the draft just because of the issues with his knee, people. Pop is trying to push him to be an all-around threat and not just a scorer (LaVine) or athlete (Johnathan Simmons).

Now, I do agree he should be starting or at the very least playing 20 - 25 minutes per night. He's too talented, athletic and dynamic a player - on a team void of those things @ the SG - to be benched in favor of fringe talents like Belinelli & Forbes.

Agree he is pushing Lonnie to be not just a pedestrian role player, but another Kawhi. Pop sees the potential of this kid. Pop doesn’t mind losing as long as Lonnie gets it, likewise Murray and White. To play behind Forbes/Marco is tough with all his talent. But Lonnie gets it. He needs to earn his minutes. I hate it because I know Spurs could’ve won some of those games, particularly Hawks. But Pop doesn’t care about that. He has a more grandeur plan on a longer term. At least I’m trying to convince myself that

[rjv]

i'm surprised LW4 didn't defer to ST posters as the one's who have all the right answers.

[timvp]

WTF does that matter if he's going to let Mills be his end game defensive stopper?

I'm talking long-term, tbh.

that's the only thing pop can accomplish in one whole season?

Yeah, that'd be a great accomplishment. Bowen + elite tools on offense = very much worth a season of work.

Nominate for post of the week. I smiled, and it made the bags seep. 👍👍👍

[baseline bum]

I'm talking long-term, tbh.

I was too, tbh

[DPG21920]

I'm talking long-term, tbh.



Yeah, that'd be a great accomplishment. Bowen + elite tools on offense = very much worth a season of work.

Are we truly sure that Lonnie couldn’t both be coached for long term and playing more now?

[R. DeMurre]

Seems like more minutes would be kind of helpful to work on all of those things.

[MultiTroll]

Could a reporter ask Pop what he needs to work on to reach minimum NBA coaching IQ level?

[ismael-robert]

I will say he has the nicest moves but rarely finishes his layups so that cant help playing time