Jack McCallum: Tim Duncan's in SA pretty much for keeps

[flipcritic]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/writers/jack_mccallum/12/14/staying.power/index.html

Agree?

[jman3000]

considering he's likely to retire at a relatively young age... yes ... i'd say it's probable that he will retire a spur.

[sprrs]

I figured (hoped) that he would retire as a Spur ever since Drob flew to Florida to convince him to stay. Now it seems almost set in stone.

[Nero]

He better fucking be. I don't care if it costs the Spurs 10 lottery years. He brought us 10 rings and is the reason I keep watching these balls go through hoops.

[ca®lo]

it'd be pretty stupid to think that tim would play anywhere else but s.a.

if he really wanted to move.. he couldve gone to orlando before.

[Kermit]

i disagree with his assessment on dirk. that ugly bastard is not going anywhere.

[TDMVPDPOY]

it'd be pretty stupid to think that tim would play anywhere else but s.a.

if he really wanted to move.. he couldve gone to orlando before.
i think he can retire now, and probably go back to his childhood dream of being a swimmer, i reckon he could win gold in the long distance events.

[Spurminator]

The only way I could see Duncan on another team is if he was far past his prime and the Spurs needed to head a different direction... like when Hakeem went to the Raptors or Ewing to the Sonics. But Duncan doesn't strike me as someone who would stick around in the league that long.

[ShoogarBear]

i disagree with his assessment on dirk. that ugly bastard is not going anywhere.I agree.

I also don't see Wade staying in Miami for his career. They are going to majorly suck in 1-2 years and he's going to want out.

Also, how the hell can he believe that Chris Paul will be a lifetime Hornet in just his second year?

[Mr. Body]

I definitely see Paul somewhere other than NO. Wade I see staying in Miami.

[boutons_]

Wade is now Mr Franchise Miami. It's up to Riles + GM to give Wade the support he obviously doesn't have. Wade doesn't sound like the kind of franchise trouble-maker that Iverson is.

[Spurminator]

Wade is Paul Pierce in two years.

[ShoogarBear]

Wade is Paul Pierce in two years.But Paul Pierce with a ring, who is unlikely to be happy with years of mediocrity.

Riley will be gone in a couple of years, too, so the Heat will have to pull out some stops to remain competitive.

[ShoogarBear]

in a few years they should just put PP, KG, AI, TMAC and others on one team and give them one shot at winning the ring.

do or die:lol

And make Nellie and Flip the coaches.

[timvp]

Duncan doesn't strike me as being hardcore loyal to the city or the team. If there comes a day where another team offers him more money than the Spurs, it wouldn't shock me if he played elsewhere.

David Robinson seemed to be a San Antonio and Spurs lifer and he almost left for the Knicks once upon a time.

[Texas_Ranger]

TD stays 4ever.

[lrrr]

As long as Pop is the coach, TD stays.

[phxspurfan]

Amy Duncan has a lot to do with things. She likes SA doesnt she?

[wildbill2u]

Duncan doesn't seem to be the type of player that needs the big city-bright lights to be fulfilled. He could have left before and stayed. He strikes me as a quality of life guy rather than a person seeking celebrity adulation in major markets.

He's competitive. If the Spurs for some weird or unGodly reason should dismantle the team by trading off Manu and Parker without adequate replacements to keep the team in the hunt for a championship, then he would be unhappy and conceivably would want to go somewhere.

He doesn't appear to be money hungry. As long as the Spurs keep him reasonably happy financially I don't see him leaving. And I don't see him chasing that 'one last year payoff' at the end of his career simply to extend the big payment days a la Hakeem.

[boutons_]

As long as TD plays, Pop is the coach.

[wildbill2u]

A little off topic, but here's the best scenario we can hope for to guarantee the future of the Spurs when Duncan nears the end of his contract.

In one of the next few years of his contract, Duncan suffers an injury that sidelines him for the season. Spurs win/loss record puts them in the lottery. We win the #1 choice and are able to pick up some new phenom franchise player who is in the draft that year. The next year, Duncan stays with us and the new player helps win more championships.


Could lightning strike again? Does God love the Spurs?

[exstatic]

Unfortunately, the Spurs have two other All Stars in Ginobili and Parker, so the lottery would be tough to pull off. If you'll recall, the season Dave went down, the Spurs set the single season player games missed record (at the time). It was ridiculous, something like 280. That was the beginning of the end for Sean, his first half season lost, and AJ also missed a big chunk of time.

I think the best scenario is that Bob Johnson continues to own the Bobcats, and goes cheap on Okafor, allowing him to slip into RFA in '08 when SA has money.

[ZStomp]

it'd be pretty stupid to think that tim would play anywhere else but s.a.

if he really wanted to move.. he couldve gone to orlando before.


Who said Tim would want to play elsewhere? Remember.. the team could trade him without his say so.

Very unlikely, yes. But is it possible? Yes.

[clubalien]

sean elliott seemed pretty loyal to the spurs but that didn;t stop him from playing for another team
Duncan doesn't strike me as being hardcore loyal to the city or the team. If there comes a day where another team offers him more money than the Spurs, it wouldn't shock me if he played elsewhere.

David Robinson seemed to be a San Antonio and Spurs lifer and he almost left for the Knicks once upon a time.

[ZStomp]

sean elliott seemed pretty loyal to the spurs but that didn;t stop him from playing for another team

You make it seem as if it was Elliot's decision. It wasn't. I remember when that trade went down and they interviewed Elliot and he appeared to be heart broken.

[ca®lo]

Who said Tim would want to play elsewhere? Remember.. the team could trade him without his say so.

Very unlikely, yes. But is it possible? Yes.

yeah but the thing here is that were talking about duncan. the man who won us 3 championships (and hopefully more)

yes its a business.. but i think tim will be an exception.

if he goes to another team that will be all up to him. not the spurs