Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili to make decisions to retire 'individually'
The Big Fundamental will not necessarily retire at the same time his cohort from Argentina does.
By
Matt Moore
•
1 min read
Somewhere in the shadows of this incredible San Antonio Spurs season is the fact that at its end, two of the greatest players in franchise history could walk away. Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili both have player options for next year, and Ginobili is undecided on how much longer he'll play.
One thing that is clear, however, is that the decisions are not tied between the two. As Duncan told reporters this week:
Duncan on if he'll retire after this season if Manu does: "We’re going to make those decisions individually, not as a group. So, no.”
— Melissa Rohlin (@melissarohlin) March 25, 2016
So when the time does come, it will be Ginobili evaluating his career and Duncan evaluating his career. These things also shift very rapidly. For example, Gregg Popovich had always said he would retire after Duncan was done, but now seems intent on extending his time with the Spurs past Duncan and helping with at least this beginning of the Kawhi Leonard era. Maybe that'll change too as Pop gets older, but it goes to show how these things shift.
Even if Ginobili walks away this summer, Duncan could stay or go, and one won't affect the other.
This, of course, assumes Tim Duncan ever retires, which he may not, because he is a robot.
