During the 2014-15 season, Tim Duncan averaged 13.9 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 3.0 assists in under 29 minutes a night. He shot 51.9 percent from the floor and was named an All-Star reserve, his 15th appearance in an All-Star game. He played more minutes and games this past regular season than he has since 2009-10.
In the postseason, Duncan was even better, averaging a double-double (17.9 points, 11.1 rebounds), 3.3 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.4 blocks in 35.9 minutes a night. He also shot 58.9 percent in that knock=down, drag-out seven-game series with the Clippers, including 27 points and 11 rebounds in Game 7. With that knowledge alone, you’d think the future Hall-of-Famer would stick around despite being an unrestricted free agent this summer, an opportune time to walk away.
Keep in mind this is a second-hand characterization, so Spurs fans shouldn’t put all their faith into it except that Antonio Daniels is a former teammate and friend of Duncan.
Daniels, a 14-year vet who played four seasons with San Antonio — winning a championship with Duncan and Pop in 1999 — tells the Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News he would be surprised if Duncan, who turned 39 in April, called it quits after this season, primarily because he’s played so well as noted above:
“I would be very surprised if he retired,” said Antonio Daniels, Duncan’s friend and former teammate with the Spurs. “As long as he’s staying at a level where he feels like he’s relevant and competing, I can’t see it.”
Duncan’s career-long coach, Gregg Popovich, spoke glowingly of Duncan earlier this week as McDonald notes:
“I continue to be amazed by Tim Duncan. He was our most consistent player in the playoffs, at 39. He needed a little more help, and I feel badly he didn’t get it. It wasn’t for a lack of trying.
“To watch him is pretty spectacular, in itself.”
While Duncan’s future still remains up in the air, his teammate, Manu Ginobili, faces the same uncertainty. But Manu’s decision remains tied to Duncan’s own.
Ginobili self-penned an article in his native Argentina, and a rough (Google translation) makes it seem like he’s on the fence about hanging it up, but Duncan’s decision will likely affect his own:
“But if Pop continues and Tim can follow, everything is different. Because one would have less commitment to colleagues and everything. I guess we’ll have a little talk with Tim, who seems to be on the same ledge as me. We’ll see where the wind blows.”
But Manu added he’d walk away if the Spurs wanted him to”
“There are decisions you can’t rush. Today I do not feel like there is a right decision.
“The truth is that if the franchise had said they did not want me or it was time to rebuild and wanted a younger team, I would have greatly facilitated the task.”
Obviously that’s a loose translation, but it’s clear Manu would shut it down if Popovich and the Spurs asked him to do so in an effort to rebuild. But Manu would also come back if Tim did, and it’s pretty clear Popovich wants both back next season.
What lies ahead for the Spurs is very much in doubt, but this offseason will answer a lot of questions. They’re expected to go after LaMarcus Aldridge and Marc Gasol in free agency this summer, and we’re guessing that if Tim and Manu come back, they won’t hamstring the team with outrageous salary demands — both have taken pay cuts to keep this group together in the past.
But this summer is also when they’re hoping to re-sign Kawhi Leonard, who will be a restricted free agent and is coming off a 2014-15 campaign where he was named Defensive Player of the Year, despite missing a large swath of the season. Lots of questions for a Spurs group that keeps inching closer to the end.
We really hope they give it another go after this season’s first-round disappointment.
