Spurs' trip to Miami for preseason game Tuesday all business for ex-Hurricane Walker

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SAN ANTONIO — SPURS PRESEASON SCORES, SCHEDULE

Saturday: Orlando Magic 125, Spurs 89, Saturday, AT&T Center

Tuesday: at Miami, 6:30 p.m.

Sunday: vs. New Orleans, 3 p.m., AT&T Center

Oct. 16: at Houston, 7 p.m.

Oct. 18: vs. Memphis, 7:30 p.m., AT&T Center 

Spurs guard Lonnie Walker IV isn’t the kind of guy who kids himself.

An earnest worker, Walker knows he can’t afford to slack off if he hopes to break into the Spurs’ rotation in his sophomore season with the team.

The Silver and Black flew to Miami on Monday afternoon for their preseason game against the Heat on Tuesday night, but Walker didn’t pack his swimming trunks.

“It’s a business trip,” Walker said. “I ain’t no vet, so I ain’t going back home, going to a house and lollygagging around. I’ve still got to earn my minutes and prove that I belong in this game. Probably see some friends. That’s about it.”

Walker, 20, played his only season of college basketball at Miami before being selected by the Spurs with the No. 18 pick of the 2018 NBA Draft.

Walker reiterated Monday what he said last week when he was asked how much playing time he expected to get this season.

“I’m not expecting,” he said then. “Going into this year, it’s not about how many minutes am I going to get. It’s how many minutes am I going to earn.”

“That’s what I’m going to do during this training camp and during practice, just playing my tail off. Hopefully, when the time comes, I’m going to be ready whenever it is.”

Walker spent most of his rookie season playing with San Antonio’s G League affiliate, the Austin Spurs, after being sidelined for the first 20 games of the campaign with a knee injury he suffered in the team’s first preseason game. He played in 17 games with the Austin Spurs. 

“I learned patience, staying in my lane and playing the right way, every single day,” said Walker, who averaged 16.6 points in 28 games with the Austin Spurs.

Walker started for DeMar DeRozan at small forward in the Spurs’ 125-89 loss to the Orlando Magic in their preseason opener Saturday night. Walker acquitted himself relatively well, finishing with eight points and five assists in 25 minutes.

The Magic were up 59-50 at the half and outscored the Silver and Black 41-17 in the third quarter to take a 100-67 lead into the final period.

DeRozan, Marco Belinelli, DeMarre Carroll, Trey Lyles and Patty Mills all were given the night off by Popovich to rest.   

“We’re just getting a feel for each other,” Walker said. “We’ve got new players. It’s a different team. We’re just getting used to each other, learning each other’s game, seeing what our weaknesses and strengths are, and play to the best of our capability.”

Walker’s mindset pretty much reflects the attitude of his teammates as they make their way through the preseason.

“It’s all about implementing our structure and rules, and what we abide by, terminology,” veteran guard Patty Mills said. “It’s always back to basics, training camp and then preseason, because you’ve got to strengthen that core.

“That’s probably something that we as players in the locker room lost sight of throughout last season. To be able to strengthen those core values in the first few weeks, then we can always look back and have that blueprint that we can hang our hat on.”

Mills, who turned 31 in August, is preparing for his 11th season in the NBA and ninth with the Spurs. He and Belinelli are the only players on the current roster who were on the team that won the franchise’s last championship in 2014.

As the Silver and Black work to jell as a team, Mills talked about important points to remember moving forward.

“I guess the challenge for players is that when you’re in the NBA, you’ve got to be able to learn on the fly, and adapt and adjust on the fly,” Mills said. “It’s fun though. It’s challenging.”

Mills and Walker both declined to comment on the controversy Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey sparked in China with a tweet over the weekend expressing support for Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protests.

Morey’s tweet prompted a backlash from China, where the NBA is highly popular. The Chinese Basketball Association said Sunday it would suspend all cooperation with the Rockets.

Walker and Mills, the only Spurs players made available after Monday’s practice, were asked about the controversy.

“I don’t know anything about that,” Walker said. “All I’m worried about is Spurs basketball.”

He was asked if he’s in favor of NBA players having the support of the league when they speak out on social issues.

“As of right now, I’m just worried about Spurs basketball, honestly. I’m not getting into any off-court business. I’m worried about myself and my teammates and how we can get better.”

Mills said he didn’t have enough information on the matter to comment.

“I will keep an eye on it,” he said. “That’s what plane rides are for, to study up.”

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich did not speak to reporters Monday.