Tim Duncan to return for 19th NBA season, re-signs with Spurs
The Spurs' franchise icon makes his return to the Silver and Black with contract details to be worked out later.
By
Matt Moore
•
1 min read
Old Man Riverwalk is ambling on back. The Big Fundamental returns. Tim Duncan has informed the San Antonio Express-News that he will return for his... wait for it... 19th NBA season.
It was widely expected that Duncan would return after his contract expired this summer. He was a Defensive Player of the Year candidate last season and still averaged 14 points, nine rebounds, and two blocks per game for the Spurs in 2014-2015, leading them to the sixth seed despite an injury plagued season. San Antonio came within a Chris Paul buzzer beater of advancing to face the Rockets in the second round in what was a rare first-round exit for the silver and black.
With Kawhi Leonard signed to a five-year max, and the Spurs honing in on a deal for LaMarcus Aldridge, there's every reason to believe that Duncan can be a serious contributor to another championship team. Next year might not even be his last. He just turned 38 but there really simply has been no slowing him down. At age 38 he shot 51 percent from the field and played in 77 games for a 55-win team. There truly has never been a player like Tim Duncan in terms of longevity outside of maybe Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Contract details haven't been decided on yet and will likely depend on whether the Spurs sign Aldridge or Marc Gasol.
Now we wait to see if the Spurs can pull off the big free agent signing they're targeting, but either way, they'll know the franchise icon will be back next year.
