Tag: Doug McDermott

Former Spur Doug McDermott tells hilarious Gregg Popovich story

Ex-San Antonio Spurs forward Doug McDermott shared a funny story about Gregg Popovich.

The San Antonio Spurs have been a very young team in recent years, which is quite the switch-up from what head coach Gregg Popovich was used to for decades. However, despite the change of pace, Popovich has remained the same dry-witted, personable guy that he’s always been. If anything, he’s become even more lighthearted.

Former Spurs wing Doug McDermott, who was a veteran on some recently young Spurs teams before getting traded to the Indiana Pacers at the 2024 deadline, recently shared a story about Popovich. He did so during an appearance on The Ryen Russillo Podcast, discussing one of his exit interviews with the Spurs coach.

He said that Popovich praised his shooting but took a hilarious dig at his defensive skillset. (H/t Josh Paredes of FanSided)

“He’s like, ‘I don’t need to talk to you’,” McDermott recalled. “‘You might be one of the worst defenders I’ve ever coached, but you can really shoot that thing. I’ll see you next September.'”

Popovich always tells it like it is.

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Doug McDermott reflects on time with Spurs after trade to Pacers

After getting traded to the Indiana Pacers, Doug McDermott reflected on his time with the San Antonio Spurs.

Though their season may not be going as well as they might have hoped, the San Antonio Spurs still have a lot to be excited about. Most notably, they have a 7-foot-4 Frenchman leading the way. Victor Wembanyama has been spectacular this year, and the team’s primary focus should be to prepare for the future with him at the center of their plans.

While they didn’t make any significant trades at the deadline this year, they did end up sending veteran forward Doug McDermott to the Indiana Pacers. In return, they got back Marcus Morris and a second-round pick. However, they are going to end up buying out Morris.

After getting traded to the Pacers, McDermott reflected on his time with the Spurs and had some very kind words for the organization.

“Couldn’t be more excited to join a place I’m familiar with in Indiana,” McDermott wrote in a text message to the San Antonio Express-News, via Tom Osborn. “To be back and playing for an organization that made me the player I am today makes this day a whole lot easier. San Antonio will always be a special place to me and I appreciate all the Spurs fans for the support through the years.”

McDermott will be heading back to the Pacers. The last season he spent there was in 2020-21, and Indiana actually traded him to the Spurs in August of 2021.

The veteran provided the Spurs with some solid floor spacing, but at 32 years old and being in the final year of his contract, he likely was never going to be a part of the team’s long-term plans.

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Report: Spurs trade Doug McDermott to Pacers for second-round pick

The San Antonio Spurs have traded Doug McDermott to the Indiana Pacers for Marcus Morris and a second-round pick.

The San Antonio Spurs have traded veteran forward Doug McDermott to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for a future second-round pick, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. San Antonio will also receive Marcus Morris in the trade, who the Pacers received in a deal with the Philadelphia 76ers earlier in the deal.

Shams Charania of The Athletic reports that the Spurs plan to buy out Morris, and Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports revealed that the pick heading to San Antonio will be a 2029 second-rounder (via the LA Clippers). McDermott had been playing fairly well for the Spurs, but the 32-year-old is in the final year of his contract.

So far this season, McDermott has been averaging 6.0 points, 1.0 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game while shooting 44.2% from the field and 43.9% from behind the three-point line.

Adding a second-rounder in exchange for McDermott adds a pick to their cabinet, albeit a very far-in-the-future one, to help add assets down the line.

Buying out Morris also makes sense for the Spurs, who should be focusing on a youth movement around Victor Wembanyama. San Antonio will now have an open roster spot with which they could look to bring in a project player.

One guy who immediately jumps to mind is Killian Hayes, who the Detroit Pistons waived on deadline day. He, like Wembanyama, is from France, and while his tenure in Detroit was a bust, taking a chance on a second-home player is exactly what the Spurs should be doing for the rest of the season.

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Report: Timberwolves ‘really like’ Spurs vet ahead of trade deadline

The Minnesota Timberwolves reportedly “really like” San Antonio Spurs veteran Doug McDermott as a trade target ahead of the deadline.

During a recent appearance on Skor North’s “Minnesota Sports with Mackey & Judd,” Darren Wolfson of KSTP noted that the Minnesota Timberwolves “really like” San Antonio Spurs veteran Doug McDermott ahead of the February 8 trade deadline. The 32-year-old forward has been a solid contributor for the Spurs this season. (H/t Nolan O’Hara of All Timberwolves)

Minnesota shoots the second-best percentage in the league from behind the three-point line at 39.1%, but they take the fourth-fewest attempts per game at 31.5. Adding a guy like McDermott could help them improve their three-point volume while spacing the floor for Anthony Edwards to work, and he could also provide them with another veteran presence heading into the postseason.

Wolfson also noted that the Timberwolves’ interest was piqued during the Spurs’ recent win over Minnesota, in which McDermott played well.

“We saw [McDermott] light up the Wolves, to some extent, on Saturday. … That’s what the Wolves are looking for is three-point shooting as much as anything,” Wolfson said.

In the Spurs’ win over the Timberwolves on January 27, McDermott finished with nine points, one rebound, and one assist while shooting 3-of-5 from beyond the three-point arc.

McDermott is an expiring contract this year and makes $13.75 million, meaning the Timberwolves would have to match that mark in a trade.

For Minnesota, that would likely mean sending out some rotation pieces. Kyle Anderson would have to be included in the deal unless the Timberwolves wanted to move on from Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Shake Milton, and Troy Brown Jr. in the same package. And that’s without even considering whether or not the Spurs would want draft capital in return for McDermott.

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Would a swap sending Doug McDermott to the Orlando Magic for Gary Harris make sense for the Spurs?

We aren’t clear why San Antonio would be interested in trading one vet for another, but we have our own proposal to counter.

According to ESPN cap guru Bobby Marks, the San Antonio Spurs can go in one of two directions at the NBA’s 2024 trade deadline. One would be finding out which of their current young players fit best around rookie wunderkind Victor Wembanyama.

The other direction entails finding a new team for veterans Doug McDermott and Cedi Osman — and getting some assets back in the process to help fuel the next era of Spurs contention. Marks has a deal in mind for one of the two vets, too. He proposed swapping McDermott to the Orlando Magic for veteran wing Gary Harris and a second round pick (the worse of the Magic’s Boston Celtics and Memphis Grizzlies seconds).

We aren’t clear why San Antonio would be interested in trading one vet for another in this case.

But if it were us on the other end of the call, we would be pushing to structure a deal bringing back one of either Wendell Carter, Jr. or Moritz Wagner to put next to Wemby.

Even if it meant ponying up some additional draft capital on the Spurs part to get the deal done.

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Stein: San Antonio has ‘made available’ Doug McDermott, Cedi Osman for trade

“A trade before this season’s deadline, sources say, is much more likely,” writes Stein.

It seems that the San Antonio Spurs are looking to move on from a pair of veteran wings currently on the team’s roster. In a recent report that echoes what we have been hearing from Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes, his fellow podcast host and Substack legend Marc Stein is echoing those reports.

“Doug McDermott and Cedi Osman are two veterans that the Spurs have made available before the Feb. 8 deadline — with both players (McDermott at $13.8 million at Osman at $6.7 million) on expiring contracts,” writes Stein of the wings in question. While McDermott is the elder of the two at 32, he is shooting a sizzling 46.8 from deep this season, and will likely garner attention from fringe contenders looking for a short-term offensive boost to their roster.

Osman, at 28, may not be quite the long-distance marksman, but he is shooting a healthy 36.7 from 3, and can pass the ball a bit.

“The Spurs could have traded McDermott last season but decided, in the end, against parting ways,” adds Stein. “A trade before this season’s deadline, sources say, is much more likely.”

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Report: Spurs listening to trade offers for 2 veteran wings

According to a recent report, the San Antonio Spurs are listening to trade offers for Doug McDermott and Cedi Osman.

As the San Antonio Spurs prepare for the second half of what has the potential to be the worst season in franchise history, the NBA trade deadline looms near. Though Gregg Popovich mocked the idea of the Spurs making any big-time moves, it would make sense for them to explore their options.

Victor Wembanyama clearly has the talent to be the face of the franchise, so putting high-caliber players around him should be a top priority. At the same time, this team is young, they are struggling, and they have no chance of making the postseason. Because of that, selling assets this season also makes sense.

According to Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report, the Spurs are listening to trade offers for veteran wings Doug McDermott and Cedi Osman. (H/t Zach Dimmitt of Inside the Spurs)

“I was told that the Spurs are listening to offers for some of their veterans that are on expiring deals,” Haynes said. “They don’t have too many veterans, but they have two veterans that are on expiring deals, Doug McDermott and Cedi Osman. These are two players that would be pretty good fixtures on a team that’s trying to win or contend right now.”

McDermott, who just turned 32 years old, is averaging 6.4 points, 1.1 rebounds, and 1.3 assists this season while shooting 46.1% from the field and 46.8% from behind the three-point line.

Meanwhile, Osman, who is 28, is averaging 7.7 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.9 assists while shooting 48.0% from the field and 36.7% from behind the three-point line.

Both veterans would be solid fits on any team that needs additional three-point shooting.

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Spurs’ Doug McDermott labeled as ‘top buyout candidate’ this season

As trade season inches closer, San Antonio Spurs veteran Doug McDermott could actually be a potential buyout candidate.

The San Antonio Spurs have one of the most intriguing young cores in the league. Headlined by Victor Wembanyama, the Spurs have a clear path forward, especially if Devin Vassell, Jeremy Sochan, and others can continue to grow and improve alongside the rookie sensation.

However, San Antonio also has a few veterans on the roster that could be names to watch ahead of trade season this year. Cedi Osman has been brought up as a player contending teams could potentially want to add, and Doug McDermott is still on the team, too. That said, a trade may not be McDermott’s fate this season.

According to Dan Favale of Bleacher Report, McDermott could be one of the top buyout candidates on the market this season.

“At 32, McDermott clearly isn’t part of the Spurs’ bigger picture,” Favale wrote. “He’s already taken a backseat to Cedi Osman and Julian Champagnie minutes, and two-way-player Dominick Barlow doesn’t seem too far behind.

“San Antonio can, of course, use McDermott’s $13.8 million expiring salary as part of another trade. But if both he and Osman remain on the roster past the deadline, there’s a solid chance at least of them gets bought out. Unless the Spurs are dead set on uber-acceleration heading into next season, they’re not re-signing both (or necessarily either).”

McDermott makes $13.75 million and is in the final year of his contract, meaning he could be a low-risk trade target for some teams. However, squads around the league may rather wait and take the chance of San Antonio simply buying him out.

Should that be the case, any team looking to add three-point shooting could jump at the chance to sign McDermott to a minimum contract.

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Top 3 performers from San Antonio Spurs loss to Indiana Pacers

Here are the top three statistical performers from the San Antonio Spurs’ loss to the Indiana Pacers.

As is the case with most young teams, there are going to be some nights where everything falls short. For the San Antonio Spurs, that was Monday night. They dropped their game against the Indiana Pacers, getting absolutely blasted by a score of 152-111. Fresh off two straight wins over the Phoenix Suns and a close loss to the Toronto Raptors, they were completely outmatched.

The Pacers’ offense has the ability to fill things up, but the Spurs’ defense needs to be better. And considering how young the team is, they will undoubtedly take this game as a learning opportunity moving forward.

All that said, let’s take a look at the three best statistical performances from the Spurs’ loss to the Pacers.

Spurs urged to consider Doug McDermott trade this season

A Doug McDermott trade could be something worth considering for the San Antonio Spurs this season.

The San Antonio Spurs may not have high hopes heading into the season in regard to a potential playoff berth, but they are looking to develop their young core. Headlined by first-overall pick Victor Wembanyama, the Spurs are sporting one of the most intriguing groups of youngsters in the NBA.

But San Antonio’s roster isn’t just made up of young guys like Wembanyama, Jeremy Sochan, and Devin Vassell. There are a few veterans littered throughout the team. Cedi Osman joined the squad over the summer via trade, and Devonte’ Graham will be heading into his first full year with the Spurs.

Meanwhile, Doug McDermott is set to begin his third year in San Antonio, but Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report believes the Spurs “should consider” trading the veteran sharpshooter.

“The San Antonio Spurs are about to tip off the Victor Wembanyama era. While it makes sense to surround him with as much shooting as possible, 31-year-old Doug McDermott doesn’t fit the rebuilding timeline.

“For his career, McDermott is a 41.0 percent three-point shooter. Even if he doesn’t provide much beyond that, that kind of shooting could interest some win-now teams.

“Flipping him for some unproven talent or a future pick could help the Spurs more down the road than McDermott himself.”

McDermott has made a career as one of the best three-point shooters in the league, and he could help the Spurs’ offensive spacing this season.

That said, if the Spurs are fully committed to their youth movement, trading McDermott for picks or other young players could make sense for them moving forward.

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