Manu Ginobili considered the 76ers before ultimately re-signing with Spurs

The 14-year veteran never truly planned on leaving San Antonio

Before agreeing to a one-year, $14 million deal to return to the San Antonio Spurs, Manu Ginobili was reportedly wooed by another team who offered the veteran guard a "very serious, big offer." That team, according to various reports, was the Philadelphia 76ers. They tried to lure Ginobili to Philly with a two-year deal worth $16-17 million and used his relationship with coach Brett Brown (a long-time assistant in San Antonio previously) as a selling point.

But Ginobili ultimately turned the Sixers down because well, he never truly wanted to leave the team he spent his entire 14-year career with -- the San Antonio Spurs.

From The Vertical's Michael Lee:

"It was not my main option. I never wanted to leave San Antonio," Ginobili told The Vertical. "But I had to listen to all the options that are there."

...

"The fact that Philadelphia had a great coach and a person I appreciate so much as Brett Brown, made it more appealing in the case the Spurs didn't happen," Ginobili told The Vertical. "But the Spurs happened and they always had the priority."

Of course, the Spurs were the priority for Ginobili. He spent his entire career there and has a ton of loyalty for the franchise and head coach Gregg Popovich. Leaving San Antonio would be a major change of life for Ginobili and his family, so it is not too surprising to learn that he never seriously entertained Philadelphia's offer.

Also unsurprising, Popovich being quite happy with Ginobili's decision to return to San Antonio, especially with Tim Duncan retiring. Pop can now continue to rely on Ginobili for veteran expertise and savvy play off the bench as San Antonio heads into a post-Duncan future.