Manu Ginobili never thought he'd wear another team's uniform. Now, he has to allow that it is possible.
"I said it many times: if you had asked me a year ago, a year and a half ago, it was basically no question in my mind that I was going to be a Spur, probably, forever," Ginobili said last week. "But it didn't happen. Injuries first, Olympic Games or whatever, it didn't happen, and now I'm three months away from becoming a free agent. So I know it's going to happen. And I owe it to myself. It's probably going to be my last contract. So I'm going to sit, study the offers, see what's out there for me and then make a decision."
The 32-year-old Ginobili now knows that there is no contract extension coming from the Spurs, and that he probably won't be in San Antonio next season. The Spurs' window for paying luxury tax is for this year and next only, and Ginobili isn't going to sign for just one year when there's so much uncertainty about the ongoing labor negotiations. So for now, he plays on, trying to regain the form that made him so important during San Antonio's le runs.
But the numbers don't lie. Ginobili's production has dropped from 19.5 points per game in 2007-08, to 15.5 points last season and 13.2 points this season. He's averaging just 11 points and shooting just 37 percent away from home. And though Ginobili swears he feels great physically and is getting his legs back after being limited the past two seasons with ankle troubles, San Antonio's fear is that the past few years serve as prologue.
Last week's TNT game in Portland crystalized the issue. For much of the game, Ginobili was brilliant, doing all of the things that have made him so valuable for the Spurs and so maddening for opponents. But in the fourth quarter, neither Ginobili nor the Spurs could close the deal, and he missed a wide-open three in the closing seconds that would have tied the score. One game, one shot, I know, and maybe Ginobili does have another great run in him.
But Ginobili's injuries and past commitments to the Argentinian National Team for international compe ion, which culminated in a gold medal for the Argentines in Athens in 2004, combined with the Spurs' long playoff runs this past decade, have put a lot of mileage on his tires. Ginobili is done with international play now after Spurs coach Gregg Popovich made his displeasure plain. But San Antonio is willing to let him explore free agency -- and willing, it seems, to let him walk.
"It's different," Ginobili said. "I was in this situation after my second year in the league, when I was a free agent. But I didn't think it was going to be at this point. But now it will and now I've got to make up my mind. And I'm going to be ready to change teams if I have to"...
http://www.nba.com/2010/news/feature...s=iref:nbahpt1
Last edited by timvp; 02-08-2010 at 05:06 PM. Reason: formatting and link
It's almost unthinkable but I think the reports are right and Manu may be playing his last year with the Spurs. If his game suffers, he will be gone. If he plays well, other teams will outbid the Spurs for his services. Extending his contract was the best way to retain him but the FO isn't willing to take the gamble. He was bound to leave sooner or later. just wish it was the latter.
I will always be a fan of Manu no matter he plays for the Spurs of not. Its going to be sad to see him in another jersey.
Trading him and Jefferson + Mahinmi/expiring for Iguodala and Dalembert would help get this team another player like Manu in his prime in Iguodala AND a great defensive big to play alongside Tim for the rest of Duncan's contract.
Spurs could then negotiate with Manu this summer about returning to the Spurs next season while suring up it's perimeter and interior defense now.
I'm really getting tired of Manu's drama-queen act every time the Spurs are on national TV. He's not living up to his contract this year and he didn't last year either.
Is this new? I mean, sound like the same old quotes from a few weeks back...
Once the trade deadline passes . . . EXTEND THIS TURKEY!
I'm tired of hearing about him losing his innocence or whatever.
I've been feeling this coming for a while and maybe this is why George Hill is being groomed into being a SG alongside Tony Parker. I always thought Manu would always be a Spur so it'll be sad to see him not retire as a Spur but it's business and I understand each other's concerns.
The question here is:
Why Pop and the Spurs are going to Pay Next Year 15 Millions to Jefferson if they dont want to pay that money for Manu?
The only answer can be: With Jefferson and Manu´s resign and trade, the Spurs can play hard in the Free Agent Market, For example could pay 25-30 Millions to Lebron James, Melo or d Wade in a Sign and Trade.
We are not players in the market really for any of those players. Their teams would have to be willing to take back what we would offer. Manu would have to agree to a sign and trade. Teams would have to accept Jefferson as well.
Teams would at least would likely want some young promising talent as well.
I can't find the quotes elsewhere so it looks like they are new quotes. If that is correct, Manu's whining really is getting old.
He turned down an extension to play in the Olympics. The Spurs were ready to make him a Spur for life. He. Turned. It. Down. Manu needs to stop being such a baby and live with his own decision.
Extending him after the trade deadline sounds like it needs to happen. It would obviously calm him down and allow him to focus solely on basketball again. Then, hopefully, he could start hitting shots outside of ten feet again . . .
The article mentions the quotes as being from a week ago, which coincides with this article from January 29 which basically says pretty much the same thing. I thought I heard that before. The article also mentions him being asked about it, which wouldn't surprise me if it was indeed Aldridge.
Funnily enough, you said then:
Are the quotes from that article? If so, no wonder I couldn't find the quotes.
Usually, DA gets his own quotes ... I doubt he'd steal them from a Spanish interview but maybe he did.
At least that timvp guy is consistent
Who do you guys think the Spurs would get to replace Manu if we don't resign him?
The article was written by Manu for his website and commented on the situation. He wrote it about a week ago, and he prefaced those comments with 'somebody asked me'. He didn't mention Aldridge, but considering he wrote back then the same thing he's quoted as saying now, and the dates match, I would say the guy he mentions in his article is probably David.
LOL @ Manu not living up to his contract last year, I mean the man suffered an injury ffs...this year you could say he isnt earning his money although the same could be said about everyone on the team outside of Duncan, Hill, and Blair. Besides we were paying him like $8 mill/yr when he was the third best SG in the league right behind Kobe and Wade, whereas most players of his caliber had max deals. Fans are in no position to say he hasnt earned his money because regardless of what he's done the last two years he has still outplayed his contract by alot. Also Manu is one of those legendary Spurs players who's jersey will hang from the rafters and who should retire a Spur, Manu has all the right to be upset about the FO not feeling the same.
this s getting really old really ing fast.
stfu and play.
I wouldn't extend Jefferson either. Parker's on the right side of 30 and doesn't have a long injury history pointing to his body breaking down like Manu's has. His injury last season wasn't some isolated event. He broke down the year before that too, and he looks like he still hasn't recovered. $11 million for 40% shooting in 27 minutes a night is a rip-off, and if Manu expects that kind of pay to continue, let him walk.
Someone much worse.
Do you think a contract extension would help Manu play better this season?
The man, even if miles have taken a toll on his body, is still a vital part of this team. He's the best passer and playmaker we have and still goes balls out every single game, we all know Manu brings so much more to the table than just shooting. Besides like I said regardless of what he is doing this year or last year he outplayed his contract tremendously...he was the third best SG in the league making $8 mill/yr while everyone of his caliber was on max or close to max deals. I dont even think people realize what a bargain that was.
Also I dont think he expects 11 mill/yr on his next contract, I think 3 yrs for 25 mill could get the job done. More than fair and deserved in my opinion.
We have retired the numbers of six players--Johnny Moore, James Silas, George Gervin, David Robinson, Sean Elliott and Avery Johnson.
The only one that wasn't traded away by the Spurs to another team is DROB. Fans didn't like any of the trades, but we got over it---and for the most part, so did the players.
I won't like it if Manu gets traded and will miss him, but in every case but one--Sean Elliott---the Spurs FO's judgement was proved correct and the player's best days were behind him.
If Manu is clearly healthy, as he claims, I'm starting to wonder whether all this contract uncertainty is distracting his play. There is certainly something missing from his game.
Whatever the case, Manu should accept the fact that this situation is of HIS own doing. I wouldn't want to see the guy walk, but I cannot fault the Spurs for shutting down extension talks once Manu got injured.
If he does walk, I expect an entirely new swingman rotation in here for next year. After all, at the rate he's going, RJ will likely be gone before Manu.
If we lose Manu we pretty much have no player that brings all those intangibles. Losing Bruce, Horry, and Oberto without getting BBIQ in return has hurt in that area. Another year on Duncan and we are just a bunch of players that can put up numbers. What you see is what you get.
I'd like to think that Duncan can carry an entire team at his age, but I don't see it. We need Manu, but at the right price.
Manu will never find a place as great as SA for him. It's quite dumb from him to whine like that a couple of weeks before the trade deadline. And he should keep a low profile. He has received $19M in 07-08 and 08-09 while he hasn't helped at all Spurs to win a le.
I'm all for Spurs keeping Manu for this year and after it but this at ude doesn't help his cause.
He admitted that the topic was in his head before writing that piece (urunobili did a translation of it. It's on that thread), but he basically said he was no longer concerned about that, and that he'll do what's best come June after sitting with Many. I don't know how much of that is self-talk and how much is real. He's the only one that knows. Honestly, I think he's been playing well lately (maybe the Clippers is a game where he didn't play that great), it's just his shot that's not falling and hasn't fallen all season pretty much.
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