FILE–Joshua Primo #11 of the San Antonio Spurs. Megan Briggs/Getty Images/AFP
Joshua Primo was released on Friday by the NBA’s San Antonio Spurs, who called the move in the “best interest’ of the club and the 19-year-old Canadian guard.
Primo was chosen by the Spurs with the 12th pick in last year’s NBA Draft and dropped for unspecified reasons.
“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 chief executive officer R.C. Buford said in a statement.
Primo subsequently issued a statement to ESPN: “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. 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.”
No other details about Primo’s being put on waivers were given and the Spurs said they would have no further comment.
If he is unclaimed by another club through the waiver process, Primo would become a free agent.
The move came two weeks after the Spurs exercised a third-year option in Primo’s contract guaranteeing his $4.3 million salary for the 2023-24 campaign, ESPN reported.
Primo averaged 5.8 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.6 assists for the Spurs over 50 games last season, when he was the NBA’s youngest player.
In four games this season coming off the bench, he has averaged 7.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and 4.5 assists a game. With reports from Reuters