Will Ginobili ever leave SA?

[Joesteds]

I might be naive and not know the way that Ginobili works at all, but do you think he may get a little restless here in San Antonio being the sidekick to Duncan? I know he seems like a great guy and that he wants to win, but he has 2 rings, and he may want to make it out of TD's shadow if he improves more next year. Its just a thought and I want to kind of see what Spurs fans feel. Please think about it before you just brush it away because Ginobili can do no wrong. So I guess do you think Ginobili will want to branch out. Not to hate on the Spurs either, but it is a smaller market and you know how ABC and other TV stations would rather not show small market teams. For him to be even brighter he might need to get away which is kinda sad to say. Let me know what you think. (I know they have him locked up, but if he is unhappy, then that could also be bad.)

[SpurCapita]

If his body is not big enough for his heart...then will San Antonio be big enough for his ego? I think it is and will be.

[FoxMulder]

I think he will still playing in the Spurs for a long time... Manu is unselfih and make anything in order to win... he can score a lot and make a lot of money in several teams... but he wants to play in a team where he knows certainly he can win... plus he doesn´t like the media attention... he can deal with it... but he´s not an exhibitionist as some players...

[caspian]

Not to hate on the Spurs either, but it is a smaller market and you know how ABC and other TV stations would rather not show small market teams.

SA is "small-market" only in the states (and even that is changing). The NBA couldn't be more thrilled with the international reception to the Spurs and Ginobili which represents the tapping of an enormo-market.

[smeagol]

He should be traded for real stars. VC and Allen come to mind.

Sequ, you with me on this one?

[bigzak25]

dude, all his friends are gonna be spurs soon enough...

he's not going anywhere...

and manu and ego don't belong in the same sentence.

he's proved time and time again he's a team guy as long as the team is winning. :tu

[Phenomanul]

Ginobili is all about winning... nothing else matters.

He's a guy who could put up 20+ ppg, 5 rbg, 5 apg but chooses instead to do what is required for the team to win.

The guy you describe in your post is the antithesis of Ginobili.

[SenorSpur]

No way. Like Kobe, Manu is a fantastically, gifted and talented athlete. However unlike Kobe, Ginobili is selfless, humble and sincere, not to mention he values the "Big Man" who plays next to him.

He doesn't take himself very seriously (as is the Spurs cultural mandate) nor is he impressed by his own celebrity. He's charitable with his time, doesn't travel with a posse and values family, friends and the opportunities basketball has afforded him.

Don't worry. This will never become Shaq vs. Kobe

[spurschick]

I don't think Manu sees himself as being in Tim's shadow. Good teams need more than one, even two, stars. Look at LeBron. He has been dubbed a superstar by many and he couldn't get to the playoffs. Shaq and Kobe couldn't coexist because of their egos, but the Spurs are different. They're all about winning. If Manu had an ego that forced him to demand a trade, he would've pitched a fit about going to the bench for Brent Barry. I seriously don't see him ever asking to be traded. Will he ever leave SA involuntarily? Time will tell.

[SpurCapita]

He won't be leaving any time soon. He possesses such an alacrity for the game, and the fans here more than anywhere share that common gusto. And yes, Manu has an ego, everybody has an ego, I'm merely saying that Manu's ego is as "small" enough for the "small" market Spurs to retain him. He's been a winner his whole life, and I think he recognizes the situation he finds himself in now as ideal.

[samikeyp]

No. Ginofan and Spurschick will not allow it! :)

[spurs_fan_in_exile]

Personally I don't view Manu as being in Tim's shadow. Heck, with the way that Tim shies away from anything resembling media attention it's tough for anyone to be in his shadow. Tim might be the cornerstone of the team on the court, but off the court I think more and more people are talking about Manu. Plus Manu is a national hero in Argentina, which I think is really the only market that he really cares about recognition in. Then you toss in the fact that in clutch time the ball is in Manu's hands only slightly less than it is Tim's. I think his mindset is much like Tim's. As long as the Spurs are committed to winning he'll want to be here.

[spurschick]

No. Ginofan and Spurschick will not allow it! :)

And there's that too... :spin

[boutons]

Summer Bored-Nutz Forum,

Shaq, Kareem, Walton, Sir Charles, and tons of the other "franchise" HoFers were traded eventually. Nobody's sacred.

It's been wonderful to watch Manu, transparently, authentically, humbly, growing as a person and as a player these 3 seasons. It's been fucking novelistic.

Rookie season, coming off a bad injury, not knowing if he was good enough when his dream of playing in the NBA became true, not a starter, but ending up being a closer/clutch for the NBA champions.

Then as a starter in his 2nd season, got tangled up in the Hedo Story, his confidence and Latin pride kicked in the teeth as he was demoted to backup.

3rd year, confirmed in his own confidence and in everybody's opinion as an bona-fide NBA starter AND star, Coaches' 2nd Team All-Star (more merit than 1st team beauty contest), and still got demoted from starting during the playoffs. But, again, hung tough to come in 2nd in MVP Finals voting on the Championship team.

I'd love him to stay forever, but "it's a business".

[ducks]

spurs could trade him near the end of his contract and get soemthign for him

[angel_luv]

Gino at championship celebration: " I am not leaving until I get another one of these."

[Ginofan]

No. Ginofan and Spurschick will not allow it! :)

You know it! :lol

[clubalien]

man if only rasho would of said that we won't be getting rid of him

[exstatic]

This will be an unpopular view, but I think he will leave at the end of this contract. He'll be a 33 or 34 YO SG who depends heavily on his athleticism, and teams will throw ridiculous jack at him, only to watch him 'Sprewell'. His body takes a horrible beating, and I just don't know how long he'll be effective after this contract. I doubt the Spurs would offer him anything other than 2-3 years, and other teams are going to trump that.

[SequSpur]

Another spin on a Ginobili topic........

What will be next?

[angel_luv]

This will be an unpopular view, but I think he will leave at the end of this contract.

At least Gino's contract is a long one... no need to worry for awhile! = )

My hope is that Gino stays with the Spurs for as long as he is in the NBA. He is the bestest! :spin

[timvp]

Manu will retire after his contract is up.

[CHAMPS AGAIN]

Will T-PARK ever leave this forum for a year that is the queston

[usckk]

I'm confused...What did T-Park do to piss everyone off here in this forum?

[Kori Ellis]

This isn't a thread about TPark. There's plenty of those in the Club.

Thanks.

[smeagol]

Another spin on a Ginobili topic........

What will be next?
What will be next?

We can go back to the old Ginobili topics. Here are some examples (not necesarily in chronological order):

- Is Manu better than manure?

- Should Manu come off the bench?

- Manu or TP?

- Can Manu make the All Star game next year?

- Is Manu better than a hot dog?

- Should Manu's jersey be retired?

[beirmeistr]

He'll stay in San Antonio. It is the Argentina of the North.

[midgetonadonkey]

I think he will retire a Spur. If he ever wins a Finals MVP, which he probably will one day, his name will end up in the rafters.

[milkyway21]

...but do you think he may get a little restless here in San Antonio being the sidekick to Duncan? ..how can anybody be restless being sidekick to one of the NBA's best? Are you saying that there's a possiblity Manu might become another selfish player just because he had a successful Final game series?


and he may want to make it out of TD's shadow if he improves more next year.
He was a free agent a yr ago, he visited a lot of teams who are willing to pay big salaries for his services but he decided to stay in San Antonio. I wonder ...was his decision got something to do with the Big Fundamental? Could be.

It must be: Best option is playing alongside Tim to win another ring. Tsskkk! Tsskk! :rolleyes

I think Manu IS the most popular International NBA player right now-MVP Olympics, Olympic Gold, NBA Titles-accomplished in just one yr, only 3rd NBA player besides MJ and Pippen to accomplished same fate but I'd rather be MORE concerned IF Duncan leave SA for another team than Manu.

to answer your question...NO. I don't think Manu will ever stay in S.A. until he retires. He'd go to another team but he will still not be the leader of the team. There's always be big men to do that.

[ChumpDumper]

Sign Yao to an extension, keep him out of LA, then talk smack about keping someone under a guaranteed contract, Rocketfan.

[TheTruth]

What will be next?

We can go back to the old Ginobili topics. Here are some examples (not necesarily in chronological order):

- Is Manu better than manure?

- Should Manu come off the bench?

- Manu or TP?

- Can Manu make the All Star game next year?

- Is Manu better than a hot dog?

- Should Manu's jersey be retired?

- Yes

- No

- Manu

- Yes

- No

- Not Yet

[mavsfan1000]

Manu definitely deserved to be on the allstar team this year. Is there anything he can't do? He is a great slasher, good shooter, best free throw shooter on the team and etc. I don't see him leaving San Antonio.

[TheWriter]

- Not Yet

If Manu retired right now, his number would retire.

[rwb]

I'd love for Manu to stay a Spur for life. But the more notice he gets from other teams, the more offers will be sent his way and one of these days I see him going for the money. Long contracts don't seem to mean anything. With all the wheeling and dealing it seems anything is possible. After the Spurs win in 2006 I wouldn't be surprised to see Manu get stolen away to a bigger market. Having said that, I hope I'm dead wrong.

[pache100]

He should be traded for real stars. VC and Allen come to mind.

That's blasphemy. Really great players have always known that you can shine alone...but you can't win championships alone. David Robinson knew it. Tim Duncan knows it. Manu knows it. And, besides, as phenomenal a player as he is, Tim doesn't cast a very large shadow anyway. Manu is in the sun here. Why would he go into the storm?

[Joesteds]

Sign Yao to an extension, keep him out of LA, then talk smack about keping someone under a guaranteed contract, Rocketfan.

What in the hell are you talking about??? Just cause I am a Rocket fan does not mean that I can pose a question in this forum. I wasn't talking smack, if you re-read it. I like Ginobili, I really enjoy watching him play (except for the many obvious flops, which he didn't do as much in the playoffs), I can just see him becoming this huge international star, and you know as well as I do that the league would love for him to be in a bigger market, but I don't know Ginobili so I can't say. I was getting your opinion, not talking smack.

[Duncan21]

he might leave when he is old and go to a smaller club

[WalterBenitez]

Another spin on a Ginobili topic........
What will be next?

1) Will Manu ever change to :fro

2) Will Manu dunk over Shak this season :angel

3) Could manu be a Coach? :smokin

4) Who has the most beautiful nose ... Coyote or Manu? :lmao

5) When the Ginobilis will have a ginobilito? :blah

[Extra Stout]

I'd love for Manu to stay a Spur for life. But the more notice he gets from other teams, the more offers will be sent his way and one of these days I see him going for the money. Long contracts don't seem to mean anything. With all the wheeling and dealing it seems anything is possible. After the Spurs win in 2006 I wouldn't be surprised to see Manu get stolen away to a bigger market. Having said that, I hope I'm dead wrong."Stolen" away? That's not how the NBA works. A team can't just swoop in with a big contract and take him. Manu is under contract until 2010, and he cannot get out of the deal to go elsewhere. He'd have to be traded.

Now, Manu certainly could ask for a trade, and if he did, the Spurs would try to oblige that if he really were unhappy. But there is no evidence he is unhappy in SA. Ginobili's situation in Argentina is kind of bittersweet, because he seems to value his privacy, but gets mobbed everywhere he goes down there. At least during the year in the States, he can have a little privacy.

I understand that there are those in the NBA community who are concerned about the possibility of Spurs dominance over the next three to five years and what it might do to the domestic market for the league. Basically, ABC is going to lose its shirt. The NBA is not like the NFL, which could have Green Bay to the Super Bowl and not worry about it, because the NBA is not as woven into the overall cultural fabric of America, and is heavily reliant upon the inner-city black communities in large cities. The hip-hop community is not going to watch a bunch of foreign players in a city that's like 5% black. The casual fan isn't going to watch unless a glamour team is playing. A Spurs dynasty means America for the most part will tune out basketball on network TV.

But Stern's position appears to be that if he's not growing the game domestically by having the Lakers, Knicks, Celtics, or Bulls dominating, he can build it overseas with teams like the Spurs who rely on international players. Outside of the US, nobody really cares how big the city is in which Ginobili is playing or how much "street cred" it has.

[pache100]

I understand that there are those in the NBA community who are concerned about the possibility of Spurs dominance over the next three to five years and what it might do to the domestic market for the league. Basically, ABC is going to lose its shirt.

WHO CARES about ABC? If ABC "loses its shirt" and somehow bows out of NBA coverage, there will be networks fighting each other in line to cover the NBA. I hope that happens really soon, because I cannot stand the announcers/commentators on ABC. What a bunch of whiny butts; they could do a lot for themselves AND the NBA if they would get some different personalities on there and come up with a new approach. What they have now sucks, and ABC doesn't seem to care. When you're the only game in town, they think they don't have to care what the fans (their audience, the ones who pay their bills on a day to day basis) think. When they start caring what the people down here in San Antonio, Texas think, I'll give them some more compassion. Until then, not so much.


The NBA is not like the NFL, which could have Green Bay to the Super Bowl and not worry about it, because the NBA is not as woven into the overall cultural fabric of America, and is heavily reliant upon the inner-city black communities in large cities. The hip-hop community is not going to watch a bunch of foreign players in a city that's like 5% black. The casual fan isn't going to watch unless a glamour team is playing. A Spurs dynasty means America for the most part will tune out basketball on network TV.

I don't believe that's true. I believe the face of the following of professional basketball in general and the NBA in particular is changing, big time. It's time the NBA realizes that their only audience is NOT only "the inner-city black communities in large cities", but Bobby Joe and Betty Lou out in the sticks, too. If they want to keep diversity in their customer base, it's time they woke up and realized that they need to appeal not only to the hip-hop crowd, but the country and western and jazz and classical and salsa and zydeco and cajun crowds (not to mention the classic rockers like myself), too. It's time the NBA grew up; and I think they are trying to do that. But, it's up to us, as fans, to break the stereotypes, too, and that is exactly what you did in your message: stereotype the NBA fanbase. Get over that.




But Stern's position appears to be that if he's not growing the game domestically by having the Lakers, Knicks, Celtics, or Bulls dominating, he can build it overseas with teams like the Spurs who rely on international players. Outside of the US, nobody really cares how big the city is in which Ginobili is playing or how much "street cred" it has.

IMHO, Stern may be one of the few on the right track here. Who knows, maybe someday there will be a new conference in the NBA...an international one.

[ALVAREZ6]

I hope not.

[SWC Bonfire]

4) Who has the most beautiful nose ... Coyote or Manu?

That is wrong on many levels...:lol

[Extra Stout]

WHO CARES about ABC? If ABC "loses its shirt" and somehow bows out of NBA coverage, there will be networks fighting each other in line to cover the NBA.I disagree. I believe the NBA will suffer a big drop in domestic TV revenues in the next collective bargaining agreement, unless ESPN overpays just to prevent a rival cable sports network from emerging.

Put on the same crappy production ABC did, and plug in the Lakers, Celtics, Bulls, or Knicks, in place of either the Spurs or Pistons, and ratings are 40% higher, at least. It's the same thing in baseball -- unless the Cubs, Yankees, or Red Sox are in the World Series, ratings are in the toilet.

It's not like the Spurs are going to become popular just by winning a lot. The St. Louis Cardinals have won 9 championships, play in one of America's best baseball towns, have possibly the game's best player in Albert Pujols, but outside Missouri and southern Illinois, they have zero visibility.


I don't believe that's true. I believe the face of the following of professional basketball in general and the NBA in particular is changing, big time. It's time the NBA realizes that their only audience is NOT only "the inner-city black communities in large cities", but Bobby Joe and Betty Lou out in the sticks, too.This has been a catch-22 for the NBA since black players starting dominating rosters in the 1960's. If you figure out the solution, you'll become obscenely rich. The NBA has thrived when 1) big-market teams win championships, and 2) there are superstars appealing to white people, like Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, and Michael Jordan. Bird was white, and Magic and Jordan had charisma and corporately-honed public images.

When those factors have been lacking, the NBA has swooned. When Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (anti-white bigot that he was) and Dr.J-with-the-afro were the big superstars, and the Portlands and Seattles of the league were winning titles, the NBA almost collapsed. It's to Stern's credit somewhat that he's kept the league healthy while America waits for the Spurs to go away.


But, it's up to us, as fans, to break the stereotypes, too, and that is exactly what you did in your message: stereotype the NBA fanbase. Get over that.I'm not making stereotypes. I'm accurately stating the demographics of people who follow the NBA. I don't see people in the suburbs outside of hardcore little NBA towns like SA wearing NBA gear. I don't hear them talking about the games. The only teams they know are the Lakers and the Bulls.

The passionate fans are in the one-team markets like SA and Salt Lake, and in the inner cities of NY, Chicago, LA, etc. That's where they are. We can engage in wishful thinking that there's this huge groundswell of support just waiting to get heaped on the Spurs if the NBA just markets it right, but it's not there. Kids in the suburbs aren't playing basketball; even as much as baseball has fallen off, it's still tons more popular than basketball out there. Football and soccer are king.

There's nobody in the NBA right now that get kids dreaming. They dreamed of playing like Magic, like Bird, like Jordan. No kid outside of SA or the VI dreams of being Tim Duncan, great as he is. Kids don't dream of being Kobe any more. LeBron won't be their idol until he wins something. Ginobili is the villain who made the kids cry by beating America in the Olympics (if the kids even watched).

Overseas, kids in Latin America dream of being Ginobili. Kids in Asia dream of being Yao Ming. They make them want to go outside and play basketball. That's where the game is growing. That's where the passion is. That's where the league needs to focus. The passion isn't there in America, and the league can't manufacture it any more than they can catch lightning in a bottle. Someday, someone will capture America's attention and the league can ride that wave. Maybe that's LeBron. Maybe not. But they don't need to expend their resources so that fans in SA can feel wanted and respected by fellow Americans who don't care about SA and never will, even if the Spurs win eight titles in a row.

[pache100]

I'm not making stereotypes. I'm accurately stating the demographics of people who follow the NBA.

You are stating an OPINION. And that's fine. I stated mine, too. But neither yours nor mine is law. I see "the demographics of people who follow the NBA" as rapidly changing. If they rely on directing their marketing strategies to the hip-hop crowd, they are ignoring (and probably losing) a huge new and growing market.

Like I said, it's ok to disagree. But, no one's OPINION is more worthy than anyone else's.

[tlongII]

If the Spurs don't re-do Manu's contract he will leave SA next summer.

[Alamode]

He should be traded for real stars. VC and Allen come to mind.

Sequ, you with me on this one?


Why? Because winning the championship is not enough or we didn't win by enough points? You don't change the chemistry of a team that is WORKING, even for a "bigger" star. Those bigger stars come with egos and problems. If anyone watched the DVD what was harped on over and over was the unselfishness of the team.

Manu loves Timmy, you can tell. He talks about him a lot, praises him, and they are the first to celebrate together. They both have saved each other's butts in key games and Tim's lack of spotlight-hogging gives just enough for Manu's ego. If Manu wanted the :bling and the #1 spot on a team he would have left last year. The Argentinian team was never trained to be "Is" so that carries over. And obviously the formula worked. These aren't stupid men.

[Horry For 3!]

I don't see Manu going anywhere just like David and Tim.

[clubalien]

do you think he becomes a US citzen or goes back to his country

[ChumpDumper]

He can leave when his contract is up.

[smeagol]

If the Spurs don't re-do Manu's contract he will leave SA next summer.
I heard he is headed to Portland

[milkyway21]

If the Spurs don't re-do Manu's contract he will leave SA next summer.what's wrong with you? you worry too much on how the Spurs' players gets paid...

just accept the fact that there are some people such as Bowen, Manu or Brent who are willing to sign with the team just to play alongside Tim and win championships....

worry about your luxury taxes...... :smokin

[Manu20]

Manu will retire as a San Antonio Spur.

[TheTruth]

He is still, and will always be, a Time Warner Customer