Yes Timmy, it's true.
Free zoo visits for the entirety of your next contract if you come back! #Spurs pic.twitter.com/rNepPoNEyV— San Antonio Zoological Society 🦍 (@SanAntonioZoo) July 5, 2016
Tim Duncan is leaning heavily towards retirement. The San Antonio Zoo, along with the rest of his Texas fanbase, doesn’t want that, so they’re dangling some rather enticing motivation his way in order to make him stay.
Personally, this would cinch the deal for me. As great as playing basketball for millions of dollars in a world-class organization sounds, the idea of doing it while also freely visiting otters and orangutans and elephants? That sounds just beyond fabulous. Duncan should go and post up on the giraffes, block the shots of polar bears, and pass to the friendly zebras. No hippopotamus will be able to get a rebound over him.
For real, though? Duncan should probably retire if the hopes of a sixth championship are all that could keep him around. His Spurs added Pau Gasol but lost Boris Diaw and Boban Marjanovic this offseason, and are otherwise unchanged in a Western Conference now ruled by Kevin Durant and the Golden State Warriors armada.
Duncan turned 40 in April, and certainly looked that age in May as he struggled to make an impact against the big men of the Oklahoma City Thunder in the playoffs. Perhaps it’s time for him to pay for the zoo, and put his well-sated hoop dreams to rest.
