The San Antonio Spurs are coming off of a tremendous 67-win season. But despite the regular season success, the Spurs were disappointing in the postseason. The team fell at the hands of the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second round. The elimination led many to believe San Antonio has major flaws to fix. The free agency period will likely help them fix some of those issues.
But before the Spurs make additions to the roster, they may have to answer questions about current players. One of those players is shooting guard Manu Ginobili. There have been questions about whether the Argentine would return for another season or retire. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical, the former seems more likely.
The following transcribed by James Herbert of CBS Sports:
“There’s a strong belief that Manu Ginobili is probably going to play another year,” Wojnarowski said on The Vertical podcast with Chris Mannix. “I think he’s not tying himself to Tim, what Tim does. It’s not like, ‘Hey we’re going to go out together.’ I think Manu feels — if he feels like he has more in him, he’s going to play.”
So, Ginobili will likely be back for another year, even after declining his player option. Next, the Spurs will look to add talent and a likely candidate is reportedly Pau Gasol.
“I’m told that Pau Gasol is a real priority for them,” Wojnarowski said. “They tried to get him before he signed with Chicago. The Bulls were able to offer him a little bit more than the mid-level that year, I think the Spurs had a mid-level for him. They can maneuver in San Antonio and probably be able to offer him market value. We’ll see what that’s going to be.”
Gasol is a very Spurs-esque player. A big man with ridiculous amounts of skill, especially as a passer, Pau could fit in seamlessly. He is almost guaranteed to leave the Chicago Bulls this summer.He has stated the Spurs are an option. That said, the Spurs need youth and athleticism more than anything, and Gasol does not provide that.
Of course, adding Pau Gasol does not make it impossible to add needs elsewhere. But the Spurs’ priority in free agency should be elsewhere.
