Josh Primo Reportedly Goes Unclaimed on Waivers After Spurs Release
Former San Antonio Spurs guard Josh Primo, the No. 12 pick in the 2021 NBA draft, is reportedly an unrestricted free agent after clearing waivers on Monday.
According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Primo went unclaimed after the Spurs waived him on Friday following "several" allegations of the 19-year-old exposing himself to women.
Despite the allegations, there is "significant interest in monitoring Primo's future among numerous NBA teams," Wojnarowski noted. However, claiming him on waivers would have cost a team over $8 million in salary through 2023-24, and the uncertainty of his future caused teams to hesitate.
Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne reported on Saturday that attorney Tony Buzbee has been retained by a woman who worked within the Spurs organization and alleged that Primo exposed himself to her. Buzbee represented multiple women who sued Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson for sexual misconduct.
With Primo going unclaimed, the Spurs are responsible for his $4.1 million salary this year and his $4.3 million salary for the 2023-24 season.
Primo provided a statement to ESPN on Friday and said he's been seeking treatment for a previous trauma.
"I know that you all are surprised by today's announcement," Primo said in the statement. "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."
The Alabama product has averaged 5.9 points in 54 games across two seasons, including 16 starts as a rookie. He appeared in the first four games of the season and averaged 7.0 points off the bench.
