Woj:San Antonio's Tim Duncan exercises player option

[FvckMavs]

Duncan could be the ultimate pitch. Duncan is going to the meeting to tell Durant personally before he leans it to the press's he's retiring. And the great Tim Duncan is choosing you to take over his franchise. The "carry the torch" would keep the media off his back if he went to the super team (Spurs). I wonder how it'd strike Durant in the meeting if it actually happened.

It could also be they've already known KD is not coming anyway.

[NASpurs]

I think this means he's retiring. That payment was really part of last year's salary. He took the reduction to get LMA. Now, he's taking the money and going. The Durant meeting might be as an elder statesman and because KD respects Duncan. Possibly, Duncan will agree to come back if KD comes, but both that scenario (and KD coming) are very unlikely.

He may allow them to trade his contract before he retires, which might be TD's last helpful move for the team. (Remember he still has a no-trade clause, I think). As others have said TD plus Diaw brings back 12 million contract. Can Philly sigh and trade Noel to us for that?

Tim and Bobo for Brandon Knight

[SAGirl]

I think retired players are a part of these meetings all the time. It might be something where Tim, the franchise player, is there to tell him what it was like and how him leaving means it's KD/LMA/Kawhi team now.

I don't think the meeting has anything to do with his decision IMO.

I think he retires - otherwise doesn't make a ton of sense. Tim has shown that if he's playing, he wants to win. If SA fell short last year he knows they need money to add to the team. Him opting in means they have less chance to build a team if he does not retire.

If he opted out (assuming he was coming back), he could have gotten paid more than his opt-in if SA whiffed on FA and if they had to renounce Tim's cap hold to get the cap space and he had to play for the min, I don't think it would have mattered to him.

We will see - a lot of this is confusing to me.

Got it, thanks for answering DPG!

[SpurPadre]

He actually said in his last article in "La Nacion" that this was an individual decision, that he wanted to know what the team was doing and that he was going to talk to his teammates as usual, but that his decision wasn't tied to anyone else's.

Thanks.

[TheGreatYacht]

It could be that the Spurs plan to pay Manu something like 5 or 6 million for one final season.

what a waste of money

[coachmac87]

It could also be they've already known KD is not coming anyway.

Then the meeting should be canceled..but it's not.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

Very strange move by Tim, but the FO don't mess up the basics, so I trust everyone knows what they are doing.

Maybe he gets traded elsewhere to clear space then retires?

Edit: just read Chinook's post, so that's actually a possibility.

[Spur|n|Austin]

I'm pretty sure Tim is gone. He knows he's done and I doubt he'll pull a Kobe and drag the Spurs down with him.

When has Tim been a player that would pull a Kobe and overshoot while overshadowing his team? It hasn't been his team for the past few years and he's known that...

[tonight...you]

It's quite possible.. RC tried calling Pop but he's already in bed and doesn't answer the phone after 9.

Good wine does that.
So does ty Scotch, but whatever,,,

[Spur|n|Austin]

Funny part about this time of year, almost everybody's theories are wrong and Spurs go and surprise us all.

[RD2191]

Funny part about this time of year, almost everybody's theories are wrong and Spurs go and surprise us all.

Yeah, Matt Bonner will be our big free agent signing.

[TheGoldStandard]

Funny part about this time of year, almost everybody's theories are wrong and Spurs go and surprise us all.

Spurs sign jack, re up manu and do it again.. mostly likely scenario.. fast forward to May... " , we got out rebounded.. and weren't athletic enough"

[TheGoldStandard]

Yeah, Matt Bonner will be our big free agent signing.

He's the straw that stirs the drink

[007nites]

Sign and trade I'm assuming and then he retires

[Spur|n|Austin]

Yeah, Matt Bonner will be our big free agent signing.

That's not surprising doe

[DPG21920]

Well, this is what I mentioned back in January:



Actually, that was the premise of the entire thread: http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=256702

[Spur|n|Austin]

Spurs sign jack, re up manu and do it again.. mostly likely scenario.. fast forward to May... " , we got out rebounded.. and weren't athletic enough"

LaMarcus.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

Spurs sign jack, re up manu and do it again.. mostly likely scenario.. fast forward to May... " , we got out rebounded.. and weren't athletic enough"

Tbh there's not a whole lot we can do but call 2016 a development year - don't have capspace or assets to make a significant move, and given the state of the off-season it's better to mostly sit out FA period.

Bring in some youngsters and see how it plays out. We were only a couple of plays away from winning semis in 5. Anything can happen in the NBA.

[Ron Swanson]

Yeah, Matt Bonner will be our big free agent signing.

3/30 deal coming soon.

[T Park]

Why would he be meeting with Durant on Friday if he's retiring?

Possible that Durant's hang up is Duncan being there, Duncan there to assure him he's retiring and to "take his mantle"

[RD2191]

He's the straw that stirs the drink

That's not surprising doe

3/30 deal coming soon.

[Spurtacular]

I hope he comes back the year after that, too. Play one more year than TOSB.

[ElNono]

Hope it means he's coming back for one more ride...

[T Park]

Well, Noel's contract is still rookie cheap. And I don't see Philly as needing cap space.

I can see Colangelo as wanting Diaw and doing the Spurs a solid by taking Duncan's salary.

[SAGirl]

^ That's what I am hoping too, (what ElNono said) that since he opted in, he's decided to come back for next season. We also have a lot of young big men that could learn from just seeing him play. Seeing him interact with Boban last season, one could tell he was teaching.

But it takes a lot to keep in tip top shape to play and our team last season had a ceiling, and the only way to raise that ceiling now is through youngster development (which takes time he doesn't have) and a FA (which seems unlikely we can add this season with our cap situation).

I really wish to see him one last season but I can't fault Tim if he takes his money and retires.

Still this is all speculation.