Tim Duncan is entering free agency, and at 39 years old, many wonder if he's played his last NBA game. Duncan said he would take his time before announcing his decision to stay or retire, but if his lawyers are correct, we might already have the answer.
Tim Duncan’s lawyers hint that the Spurs star won’t retire
Duncan’s lawyers asked that a court hearing against the power forward’s former business manager be scheduled for next summer so that he “won’t miss playing time.”
During a hearing for a lawsuit Duncan filed against his former financial adviser, his counsel requested a trial date for next summer, so that “he won’t miss playing time,” according to San Antonio Express-News court reporter Guillermo Contreras.
It's a little early in the offseason for the typically cautious Duncan to have made a decision but it's possible he's ready to commit to return to the Spurs. Let's look at this rumor more closely.
Why it makes sense
Duncan was an All-Star last season and made the All-NBA third team. He missed just five games and played over 2,000 minutes, which shows he’s still durable enough to be a cornerstone for the Spurs. The future Hall of Famer has said in the past that he wants to play “until the wheels fall off” and that clearly hasn’t happened yet. He remains one of the best big men in the league.
The Spurs bowed out of the playoffs in the first round, but could have beaten the Clippers if not for a fantastic performance by Chris Paul in Game 7. San Antonio also finished the regular season on a tear after struggling earlier due to injuries. If the key players return and they can make some marginal improvements to their bench, contending is definitely not out of the question. A chance to get a sixth ring has to be tempting for Duncan.
As for him making up his mind this early, knowing if Duncan will be back or not would help the Spurs plan their offseason. If he returns, the Spurs may have a harder time adding a marquee free agent and could instead focus on retaining unrestricted free agent Danny Green while making a smaller addition. The sooner the front office knows Duncan's decision, the better.
Why it doesn’t make sense
While he’s still playing at a high level, Duncan is 39 years old. Going through the grind of getting into shape in the offseason, then playing possibly 100 games, is surely not an easy decision to make at that age and after such an accomplished career. If he hangs them up right now, he would still go down as one of the best players ever. His legacy is safe.
The Spurs have eight free agents, not counting Duncan. Manu Ginobili recently told an Argentine newspaper that he had still not made up his mind about returning, and Danny Green, Marco Belinelli and Matt Bonner are all unrestricted free agents. Kawhi Leonard will likely return and Tony Parker, Boris Diaw and Tiago Splitter are all under contract, but it's possible the Spurs could take a step back as a team with a lot of roster turnover. Duncan making a decision amidst all that uncertainty would be uncharacteristic.
It’s possible Duncan doesn’t know what he will do next season. He might have instructed his lawyers to ask for a date in what would be the offseason simply to keep open the option of playing next year without having any distractions.
Likelihood of happening: 7/10
Duncan was so good last season that even if he declines, he would still be a valuable contributor. Gregg Popovich has already decided to return, and with Parker and Leonard in place, the Spurs should be good enough to at least have a marginal shot at a title, like they've had every year since Duncan was drafted. The report doesn't exactly confirm Duncan will be back, but it wouldn't be surprising if he soon announces he will.
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