▁ ▁San ▁Antonio ▁Sp urs ▁( 1 9 9 2 ) ▁T ark an ian ▁was ▁offered ▁the ▁Los ▁Angeles ▁L akers ▁head ▁co aching ▁job ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 7 , ▁but ▁decl ined , ▁continu ing ▁to ▁coach ▁college ▁basketball . ▁ ▁T ark an ian ▁was ▁h ired ▁to ▁coach ▁the ▁San ▁Antonio ▁Sp urs ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 2 , ▁not ▁long ▁after ▁leaving ▁UN L V . ▁However , ▁he ▁disag re ed ▁with ▁Sp urs ▁owner ▁Red ▁Mc Com bs ▁over ▁the ▁need ▁for ▁experience ▁at ▁point ▁guard . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁off season , ▁the ▁Sp urs ▁had ▁lost ▁Rod ▁Str ick land ▁to ▁free ▁ag ency , ▁when ▁he ▁signed ▁with ▁Port land , ▁leaving ▁the ▁Sp urs ▁without ▁a ▁point ▁guard ▁with ▁significant ▁NBA ▁experience . ▁The ▁Sp urs ▁had ▁signed ▁Vin ny ▁Del ▁Neg ro , ▁a ▁com bo - guard ▁from ▁the ▁Italian ▁League , ▁to ▁replace ▁Str ick land . ▁They ▁also ▁signed ▁NBA ▁jour ne yman ▁A very ▁Johnson , ▁formerly ▁of ▁the ▁Houston ▁Rock ets , ▁to ▁a ▁one - year ▁contract . ▁ ▁T ark an ian ▁felt ▁that ▁the ▁Sp urs ▁wouldn ' t ▁be ▁compet itive ▁without ▁an ▁experienced ▁point ▁guard , ▁but ▁Mc Com bs ▁disag re ed . ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁result , ▁T ark an ian ▁was ▁fired ▁after ▁only ▁ 2 0 ▁games ▁with ▁a ▁ 9 – 1 1 ▁record . ▁ ▁He ▁received ▁a ▁$ 1 . 3