Tre Jones vs. Joshua Primo: Who will start at point guard for the Spurs?
San Antonio Spurs guard Joshua Primo (Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports)
Sophomore Joshua Primo has the upside to be San Antonio’s next PG.
Spurs fans have a lot to be excited about with Joshua Primo. He is beyond confident and seems to have limitless potential. San Antonio is likely to have more of an investment in Primo since he was drafted as a lottery pick. It’s no secret that the Spurs reached a little when drafting him so high, but the selection makes more sense as time goes on. He is still just 19 as he enters his second year in the NBA. Combine that with his continued physical growth and fans are ready to play him 40 minutes a game.
After watching him in a playmaking role during the Summer League, one could ask “Why not throw him into the fire as a point guard?” That’s a fair point, but that being said, San Antonio could have different motives for putting him in that position. Part of it might be that they wanted him to develop the skill so that he has the capacity to be a playmaker in certain lineups. It also might be a reaction to his G League stint last season, when they saw him struggling with running an offense
Primo averaged 5.9 assists but also 3.6 turnovers per game in Austin. Although he did look more efficient with the ball in his hands at Summer League, Primo didn’t truly seem to pop unless he was looking to score. It is very possible that Primo works best as a secondary playmaker with a focus on scoring, but he has got plenty of time to improve his game.
