It’s virtually unprecedented for an NBA team to simply waive a lottery pick from the previous season. The Spurs drafted Primo, the youngest player in the 2021 draft, with the No. 12 pick. The decision to waive him clearly has to do with off-the-court issues, as the Spurs seemed pleased with his development as a player. CEO R.C. Buford said in his statement, “It is our hope that, in the long run, this decision will benefit both the organization and Joshua.”

Primo said as much in a statement he released to ESPN.

Primo said he will take time away from the NBA to “take this time to focus on my mental health treatment more fully,” and asked for privacy. It remains a mystery what happened behind the scenes and why Primo was waived, rather than taking an extended break for the team.

San Antonio chose to release Primo despite spending a high draft pick on him and being on the hook for his his salaries this year and next — $4.1 million and $4.4 million. Clearly something happened that made their future relationship untenable. Any other team with cap space or cap exceptions can claim Primo for that deal, but that’s unlikely until there’s much more clarity on what actually happened.

Primo doesn’t turn 20 until Christmas Eve.