Josh Primo Issues Statement After Shocking Spurs Release

Former NBA Draft lottery selection Josh Primo issued a statement after being surprisingly released by the San Antonio Spurs on Friday.

The San Antonio Spurs made a surprising decision to release Josh Primo roughly an hour before their matchup against the Chicago Bulls on Friday. 

Primo, 19, was selected by the Spurs in the 2021 NBA Draft using the No. 12 overall selection. He was coming off a rookie season averaging 5.8 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.6 assists after being the youngest player in his draft class. San Antonio exercised his third-year team option a few weeks ago.

There wasn't an explanation offered by the Spurs in their statement, or when coach Gregg Popovich had his pre-game media availability. 

"It is our hope that, in the long run, this decision will serve the best interest of both the organization and Joshua," Spurs Sports & Entertainment CEO RC Buford said in a statement. 

Primo released a statement to ESPN, which was shared by Adrian Wojnarowski in a Twitter post. Still, there was no direct explanation about the situation.

"I know that you all are surprised by today's announcement. I've been seeking help to deal with previous trauma I suffered and will now take this time to focus on my mental health treatment more fully," Primo said in a statement. "I hope to be able to discuss these issues in the future so I can help others who have suffered in a similar way. I appreciate privacy at this time."

There was significant optimism surrounding what Primo could achieve with the Spurs this season. He was set to take on a larger role in his second season after San Antonio traded NBA All-Star Dejounte Murray to the Atlanta Hawks. 

Primo appeared in four games with the Spurs to begin the 2022-23 season, averaging 7.0 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 4.5 assists in 23.2 minutes per game. 

Check back with InsideTheSpurs.com for more updates regarding the situation. 

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