Hey, my guy, sorry for a late reply - was on a week-long trip. Didn't catch these last what, 3-4? games of the Spurs, what'd I miss?
Regarding the mention; I don't think Pop is being "proven right" at all, tbh. I haven't much liked his coaching this season, and rotations and role are a good part of it. Lonnie is starting, yet is (I'll make the safe assumption that little has changed in the last week of Spurs ball) not really regarded as an offensive piece to run plays for at all, and has to "get his shot" by driving or CnS most if not every time (since transition points aren't really much of a thing with these Spurs). He's absolutely to blame in part for not looking for his shots and finishing his own opportunities often enough (though I don't think you can say there's no coaching component in the change of ballgame that Lonnie displayed coming into the NBA, and the one he displays now; would you see the same player if you watched his college mixtape and his last game's performance back-to-back?) (Honest question, tbh, I haven't seen the game, maybe he had a good one and shuts me up ).
Has Lonnie let me down? Yes, absolutely, I had much higher hopes for him coming into the season; I definitely agree with B1gduff (that's a name I hadn't heard, what's up fella?) though, that people are barking at Lonnie the same way they barked at DJ through his growing pains. The sheer amount of times I've read "IG baller" or some permutation of it on this site, would lend you to believe there'd be dozens of apology threads on him alone, tbh. But no such thing, only posters who're always right.
Anyways - I'd rather Lonnie be out there, playing heavy minutes (and closing games, if Pop doesn't mind, thankyouverymuch), learning and growing while finding his game, than spotted in the bench like Samanic and given the "watch and learn" treatment. In fact, I'm eager to listen: which players exactly had toughness "instilled" into them by being benched excessively when needed by their team, even after a career game, the season after being forced to play in a lower level league than your draftee peers are playing in. I can't seem to think of any, and can't see why it'd be a good coaching strategy for a person like Lonnie, who clearly isn't made of rock and takes things to heart. Matter-of-factly, this "method" of last season definitely hasn't helped his play this season - aren't you making my point?
By the by, I don't at all adhere to the alpha/beta dynamics and whatnot, they're closer to bro-science than they are to legit psychological phenomena, at least the way they're mentioned and talked about on here most times. I don't think Pop would call Lonnie a "beta" at all, and to be frank I doubt anyone would if they knew where he came from and had to fight through to get to the NBA alone but that's beside the point. I think he's got a lot to work on, and I was expecting him to capitalize on opportunities that he hasn't yet (and maybe never will). It doesn't mean I've lost hope on him, or close to it, yet though, that's for Certified SpursTalk Cliffjumpers to go about.