Manu Ginobili to return to San Antonio Spurs for 16th season
As the
clock ticked down on the Spurs' season and Manu Ginobili was pulled from the
game, a thunderous roar from the home crowd guided him to the bench.
Ginobili wore an appreciative but quizzical look on his face as he put a warmup
shirt back on and prepared to head off into the summer. Clearly, the fans were
saying goodbye to one of the most popular players in Spurs history.
Ginobili was not
ready to do the same: The Argentinian posted a
message on his Twitter account on Wednesday that he is re-signing with San Antonio for another season, which will
be his 16th with the Spurs.
"It felt
like they wanted me to retire," Ginobili said with a smile after the Spurs
were swept out of the Western Conference finals by the Golden State Warriors.
"Like they were giving me sort of a celebration night. And of course, I'm
getting closer and closer."
Save those
goodbyes for at least another year.
Ginobili
averaged 7.5 points and 18.7 minutes per game last season. In 15 seasons with
the Spurs, he ranks in the top five in franchise history in points (13,467),
games (992), assists (3,835) and steals (1,349).
The 6-foot-6
guard will turn 40 on July 28 and has been a part of four of the Spurs' five
NBA championships. A member of the famed three-player core with Tim Duncan and
Tony Parker, Ginobili may be the most beloved member of the group. His
heart-on-his-sleeve approach stands out in a quiet Spurs culture and his flair
for the dramatic has been an integral part of the Spurs' success.
His block of
James Harden in overtime helped the Spurs clinch a win over the Rockets in Game
5 of the Western Conference semifinals last season
His overall
numbers were down, but he remains incredibly important to the Spurs as they try
to chase Golden State in the West. In Duncan's first season of retirement,
coach Gregg Popovich leaned more on Parker and Ginobili to be vocal leaders in
the locker room.
"Timmy's not
a big rah-rah guy," Popovich said in March. "He didn't wave a towel.
He would talk in timeouts. He'd put his arm around people. Manu and Tony have
been more vocal in that regard. They talk to the team more than I do. They talk
to individuals. They've really taken on that mantle and it's helped."
The Spurs won 61
games last season, but were overwhelmed by the Warriors in the conference
finals after Kawhi Leonard suffered an ankle injury in Game 1. After missing
out on Chris Paul, they re-signed guard Patty Mills, added veteran forward Rudy
Gay and summer league standout Brandon Paul, and are expected to bring back Pau
Gasol as well to make another run at Golden State.
The understated
offseason fits the Spurs more closely than two years ago when they signed
LaMarcus Aldridge to a max deal. Given that Parker figures to miss a good chunk
of the start of the season with a quadriceps injury suffered in the playoffs
and Jonathon Simmons left for a three-year deal with Orlando, Ginobili's return
means even more.
Ginobili
averaged 13.8 points in just over 20 minutes per game of that series against
the Warriors, hitting 58.8 percent of his shots. He said after the final game
that "I do feel like I can still play," and he got no argument from
the eventual champions.
"He kind of
worked us pretty good these four games," Warriors forward Draymond Green
said after Game 4. "So, I think he's got quite a bit left in the tank.
Obviously, it's up to him how much longer he wants to go. But one thing about
it, he's definitely not a liability on the floor."