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True on both accounts.
Its only painful because of how great he once was. Compared to the rest of the bigmen in the NBA he is still an above average player.
True on both accounts.
Duncan's still one of the better bigs in the league and well worth another contract for the Spurs.
I can see Timmy signing with the Heat for a minimum contract.
PG Chalmers
SG Wade
SF LeBron
PF Bosh
C Duncan
It would give them a post player and a tall defender at the 5.
As long as Duncan wants to keep playing, I'm good with that. Spurs fans who want to nudge him out the door are delusional. First of all, rebuilding in a small market can take decades to do right so there's no rush to get there. If rebuilding were as easy as sucking for a year or two and then everything is magically better, I'd be for it ... but it's not. Spurs fans tend to not realize that since the Spurs haven't had to rebuild in the last 25 years or whatever it's been.
Yes, the Spurs don't have much of a hope of a championship this year. And that is unlikely to change for the reminder of the Duncan+Ginobili+Parker Era. But the rebuilding grass isn't greener.
Besides, the chances are probably better that Kawhi Leonard turns into Scottie Pippen and the FO can unearth another All-Star level player to make this team a legit contender again than it is to hope that the Spurs can rebuild and become a contender in the near future any other sort of way. (That's probably like 0.5% vs 0.1% ... but I'll take it.)
It is painful to watch his decline. Then suddenly, he reels off a performance like he did tonight versus Houston. It's clear he can turn back the clock from time to time, but not often enough.
Duncan's return, and for however long he wishes to play, only delays the inevitable. I just hope the Spurs FO can surround him with a young, athletic 5-man, so he doesn't have to continue to do the heavy lifting on the frontline.
Like everyone else, I love Duncan and wish that he could be effective for several more years. However, the Spurs will only be mediocre until they can someone draft and groom another superstar player, of his caliber. Those players just don't come around that often - and when they do they're hard to get.
I agree! I almost wish they would tank this year, get a good big man in the draft and sign Tim for lower next year! I mean a high pick and Tim being back and for less dough! Then maybe a FA backup! I know I am dreaming but good lord that would be nice for next year. My feeling they are a playoff team now and Gino will come back and they get a top 5 seed! They will make a run in the first round and probably out in two, but hey thats what we are dealing with now and thats reality.
til the wheels fall off
Im all for bringing Tim back next year.. if he signs for 1 or 2 years at $6-8M and the Spurs amnesty RJ.. they will be under the cap plenty. The FA class is pretty terrible after Dwight.. but a trade where the Spurs can take back more salary would be the way to go.
What makes you think the contract will be so small?
He isn't going to be playing for chump change.
With each year these guys get older and stay on the team the team will sink in the standings. Duncan has maybe 2 more productive years left but 3 or 4 is pushing it too far.
...ummm there's only one wheel left on.......
Precisely why I would like to see the Spurs high in the lottery this year, it is a loaded draft with bigs and a short season. I'm not saying tank, just keep developing the young guys and protecting the old ones. That should take care of itself.
If he signs for some sort of huge contract than I might change my stance on it. Although I see the contract being more around MLE money, which I think he is definitely worth at this stage in his career.
Duncan retires a Spur. Period, point-blank, end-of-story. None of that Joe Montana on the Chiefs, Malone on the Lakers Jordan on the Wizards bull . The man is pure Spur from head to toe.
Or Hakeem on the Raptors, Ewing on the Magic.
Nothing really matters until Pop leaves and/or steps back to a front office job...
I would love for Timmy to stay as long as he wanted in whatever capacity he could...as long as there was someone else coaching....
...but this won't happen....
Tim gets to choose when he leaves and he'll get much more than an MLE-level salary if he decides to stay.
Oh, and Pop will choose when he stops coaching as well.
First someone said 10M/yr.
Then someone else said MLE.
Now vet min?
How about minimum wage? Would everyone be happy if Timmy played for minimum wage?
He'll probably look at how we handled the Robinson contract at the end. Remember everyone thought Robinson, being an angel and all, and practically giving away money to build a school would certainly play for a bunch of "A contribuition has been made in your name to the Human Fund" cards. Not so fast said the Admiral. Don't insult me, he said.
What did he end up getting? Not exactly chump change.
The question is how well was Robinson playing when he signed that last contract versus where Tim is at this stage?
I think 2 years at $10 million a year will be Tim's market value. Maybe the Spurs will bump it up to the $12-$14 million range to pay him back for taking less on his last contract, since they won't be paying luxury tax next season.
I wasn't saying that he's worth vet minimum but I was saying to give the Spurs the best chance at getting free agents and winning another championship it might help.
On this same note hopefully David convinces Tim to stick around the organization in some manner after he retires as a player.
The day that RC lets Timmy become anything but a Spur is the day I forsake the NBA all together.
Best case scenario is he and Manu provide the future generation Spurs teams some top-tier vet experience off the bench in their final years, and Mr Leonard makes the G Hill trade another mark in their collection of impressive FO moves... I'll keep my fingers crossed and my expectations low.
I'm not ready to see Timmy sitting next to the Admiral yet.
Sure it would help. But I don't know, I can't recall a player of Tim's significance ever playing for the vet min. This isn't Finley or Kurth Thomas. Tim just showing up makes the owners money.
Barkley took it for one year so that the Rox could sign Pippen. I think I remember him saying he regretted it, though, since Pip stiffed.
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