San Antonio Spurs could be an entirely different team once the 2018-19 NBA season kicks off. After Tony Parker left in the free agency and Kawhi Leonard was traded, there is a strong possibility that Manu Ginobili might also leave the Spurs. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Ginobili is strongly considering retirement from professional basketball.
Wojnarowski says that Manu Ginobili will meet with coach Gregg Popovich in the next several days, and they will discuss his future. Despite having a one-year left on his contract, Ginobili looks keen to leave the NBA earlier. Despite not being sure about his future, the 41-year-old is working out in Spurs’ facilities almost every day.
San Antonio Spurs, on the other hand, would like to keep Ginobili at least one more year. They appreciate his veteran presence and think he could still be a valuable bench option. Still, they intend to allow the player to take as much time as he needs for making the final decision. In the last season, he played 20 minutes per game while averaging 8.3 points.
Drafted 57th overall in 1999 NBA draft, Manu Ginobili became one of the players that defined the Spurs’ dominance in NBA in the 2000s and early 2010s alongside Tim Duncan and Tony Parker. During his NBA career, Ginobili earned four All-Star appearances while being named NBA Sixth Man of the Year in 2008.
