The San Antonio Spurs under Gregg Popovich has been one of the most consistently successful teams in the NBA. However, after their first round elimination at the NBA 2018 Playoffs at the hands of the Golden State Warriors, the future seems so uncertain.
Even though some things seem like they will last forever, there is always an ending. Now that the Spurs have been eliminated from the playoffs, many have come to wonder if we are now looking at the end of the Spurs Dynasty.
This possibility has been slowly creeping into the team for much of the year. The Spurs were struggling, and even feel out of the playoff picture at some point, without Kawhi Leonard. What Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili described as a weird year, the Spurs still made it to the playoffs – albeit for a good 5 games.Now at a crossroads, many are wondering what will happen to the San Antonio Spurs. Is it really the end of the era of success? Here are some points to ponder that hint at major changes that could happen during the offseason.
Manu Ginobili decides about his future
Despite being 40 years old (41 in July), Manu Ginobili has shown that he has still some gas in his tank. And yet, he has not decided if he is coming back next year. He is still under contract for 2018-19, but many have been asking if his stellar Game 4 performance at Home court was the last victory he played before retiring. Ginobili’s career so far has been remarkable, and is thought to be a future Hall of Famer. Even Steve Kerr, coach of the Golden State Warriors, has asked Manu to keep on playing.
Tony Parker enters free agency
Tony Parker, one of San Antonio’s Big Three together with Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili has made his intentions for next season clear: He would love to return and play for the Spurs. The veteran guard is going to be an unrestricted free agent this summer, has handed over the reins to the next generation. He says he is willing to play backup to Dejounte Murray, advising the youth and helping the team along. Parker has been a huge part of the Spurs successful era, and he wants to end his career with the Spurs still. However, it is noted that it is quite possible that he wont be playing for the Spurs next year.
Other players in free agency or with player options
Aside from Tony Parker, there are also other team members who are entering free agency or have player options. One of them is the third most tenured member in the team: Danny Green. According to Green, there are so many decisions that are going on during the summer. However, it may not be the best time to decide as everything is still so fresh and painful.
The Kawhi Leonard issue
This year, Kawhi only played in 9 games and did not participate during the playoffs at all. Although the reason is said to be due to his recovery from his injury, some argue that there has been some tension between the organization and Kawhi. While he has one year left on his current deal, there is an option to offer him a five-year deal at $219m. However, many have started to wonder if he really is worth all that.
It was supposed to be easier than all this. When Tim Duncan retired in 2016, it seemed that the Spurs had a ready line of succession that was seamless. With Kawhi, one of NBA’s top fresh talents, things were looking up. Although it is never an easy feat to take over from Duncan, it seemed like things were going well at the time.
With Gregg Popovich grieving over the death of his wife, Ettore Messina, also might be leaving for a head coaching post, there is definitely more that could happen during the offseason. A lot that fans are definitely starting to worry about.