On a day when Kevin Durant’s decision to join the Warriors rocked the NBA, news came out that another era may be coming to an end. The Vertical‘s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Monday afternoon that Tim Duncan, after 19 years with the San Antonio Spurs, is leaning toward hanging it up.
Via Woj:
One of the NBA’s all-time icons – San Antonio Spurs center Tim Duncan – is leaning strongly toward retirement, a decision that would end an illustrious 19-season NBA career, league sources told The Vertical.
Duncan has left team officials, close associates and friends with a strong belief he’s preparing to make an announcement in the near future on his departure, sources said.
The news isn’t much of a surprise — he’s 40 years old and the Spurs lost in the second round of the playoffs. Duncan and the Spurs’ path to another title just got tougher with Durant joining the Warriors, and as good as San Antonio was in the regular season (winning 67 games), the team never matched up well with Golden State even before the Durant news broke.
Duncan’s career speaks for itself: Five titles, three Finals MVPs, two regular-season MVPs, 15 All-Star selections and some of the most consistent year-to-year production at both ends of the floor in NBA history.
With Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge, the Spurs are well set-up to stay competitive for years to come, but it’s not going to be the same without Duncan. Of course, he could always change his mind. Duncan always has done things his own way, and done it quietly.
