10 Reasons why Manu Ginobili should Play Another Year
After an outstanding 15-year career that’s seen him win four NBA championships, Manu Ginobili is talking retirement.
And nobody would blame the Argentine since he’s 39 years old, going on 40.
But Ginobili should seriously consider playing at least one more year in 2018, and here’s why.
1. The Spurs aren’t that Far Off a Title
The San Antonio Spurs finally got their shot at the Golden State Warriors…and failed spectacularly. They were swept by the Warriors, losing the final three games by an average of 20.7 points.
But did anybody see Game 1? The one where San Antonio led by 25 before Kawhi Leonard got hurt?
I’m not saying that the Spurs would’ve gone on to win the title. But they had Leonard, Tony Parker, and David Lee go down within the last two weeks of the season.
It could’ve been a different series if everybody had been healthy for the Spurs.
2. Manu Still Has Game
We don’t see as much of Ginobili on the floor these days because he’s older and doesn’t recover as well in between games.
But Ginobili was the Spurs’ best player against Golden State after Leonard went down.
Outside of an 0-for-3 performance in Game 2, he was magnificent in this series.
In the other three games, he averaged 17.7 points, 3.3 assists, and 2.3 steals. He also shot 19-for-32 (59.3%) against one of the league’s best defenses.
This guy might be 39, but he was San Antonio’s only hope against the elite Warriors.
3. Spurs Fans Love Him
As the waning moments ran off the clock in Game 4, and Golden State’s sweep was almost complete, a chant emerged from the AT&T Center.
“Manu, Manu,” the crowded chanted over and over again.
This was to show both appreciation, and that the crowd would love to have Ginobili back again.
“It was kind of emotional and overwhelming,” said Manu. “Yea, I don’t have a lot of words to describe it, but of course it makes you feel really well. Feeling that type of appreciation, love, respect. … When it happens in a situation like that and you receive all of that without expecting it, it shakes your world a little bit.”
4. San Antonio is Coming Off a Very Positive Season
This was the first time in 20 years that San Antonio played without franchise cornerstone Tim Duncan. And the results were definitely good.
The team finished with the league’s second-best record at 61-21. They also made the Western Conference Finals, despite having Parker go down in Game 2 of the Houston Rockets series.
5. The Team Needs Ginobili’s Leadership
Ginobili is the elder statesman on San Antonio’s roster, bringing plenty to the locker room and overall team culture.
They’d love to have him back, even if he slows down physically next season.
6. The Team Needs Manu’s Production
Again, Ginobili isn’t the same player he was a decade ago. But it’s clear from his numbers that he can still contribute on a consistent basis.
Obviously he was great in the Warriors series. And he put up numbers during the long season grind, scoring 7.5 points and shooting 39.2% from the three-point line.
7. San Antonio Has a Lot of Pieces Coming Back
Leonard will be fine after an offseason to heal up. Lee should also be fine after suffering a torn patella tendon against the Warriors in Game 3.
Parker is a different story since he’s out 8 months with the ruptured quadriceps tendon. But he could at least return by January if everybody goes according to plan.
Then there are other important pieces like Danny Green, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Patty Mills who will help fuel another successful season.
Question marks include Jonathan Simmons, Pau Gasol, and Lee – all of whom have player options. But even if these three go, the team can reload with a few free agents and not miss much.
8. Ginobili can Last the Season
Sometimes players opt to retire when they can no longer sustain vertical for an entire season. But this isn’t the case with Ginobili, who appeared in 69 regular season games and 16 playoff contests.
He’s played at least 58 regular season games every year since 2011, showing that he indeed has what it takes for another year.
9. He can Bank on Pop
Gregg Popovich is arguably the best coach in the NBA. And he’s one of the biggest reasons why the Spurs have been a perennial playoff team for the past two decades.
Assuming Ginobili comes back, he can at least bank on having great coaching again.
10. He’ll Play Alongside an MVP Candidate
Ginobili has had the pleasure of watching Leonard become an elite player and MVP candidate.
This past year, Leonard averaged 25.5 PPG, 5.8 RPG, and 1.8 steals. He also shot 48.5% from the field, including 38.0% from beyond the arc.
He was even better in the postseason, averaging 27.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 1.7 steals. Along with coach Pop, Ginobili can also rely on having an elite player lead the team.
