Recently relegated reserve guard Tony Parker will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, but the veteran is eager to remain with the Spurs if they’ll have him, Jabari Young of The San Antonio Express News writes.
“My priority is to stay here. I want to stay here for sure,” Parker said before pausing and adding that it’s ultimately Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich‘s decision.
In 28 games for the Spurs this season, Parker has averaged 8.1 points and 3.9 assists. Recently, however, Parker has ceded his starting role to 21-year-old Dejounte Murray. As a starter, Parker averaged 23.8 minutes per game. In seven games off the bench, that’s dropped to 17.4 and his other stat totals have predictably dropped too.
As Young writes, when Parker’s three-year, $43MM deal expires, the 35-year-old could attract the attention of other teams potentially looking to add veteran support. In 2016, the Sixers made a hefty offer to Manu Ginobili.
There’s more out of the Southwest Division:
- Veteran Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley made the decision to undergo season-ending heel surgery to correct an issue that he’s been struggling with for some time now, Ronald Tillery of The Memphis Commercial Appeal writes. “I’ve had this for three years. All the way back three years ago one of the doctors said eventually you’ll need to have this heel shaved down,” Conley said “I didn’t want to do it. I wanted to exhaust every option before going to that extent.”
- Teams around the league have realized that Pelicans superstar Anthony Davis isn’t available, but that doesn’t mean circumstances won’t change if the franchise eventually shakes up its front office, Sean Deveney of The Sporting News writes.
- Don’t tell Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry how to manage his team’s minutes. Gentry, in his third-year at the helm of the franchise, told William Guillory of The Times-Picayune that he plays his stars big minutes out of necessity.
Unless someone throws a stupid amount of money at Tony Parker, I doubt he leaves. Ego wise, he’s cut from the same mold that Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili are. As long as both sides keep the negotiations respectful and within reason, I can see Parker resigning at a cheaper rate like Ginobili has done the past few years.
Like Ginobili this year. Remember, Philly thee that one year $10+M offer that forced the Spurs to grossly overpay to keep Manu. As much as I fully expect that Tony will be another lifetime Spurs, I don’t know if San Antonio matches a contract like that for him if one comes.
Doubters have been saying for years that the Spurs window is closing/closed and have regretted the comment afterwards. As a Spurs fan, I’m starting to get concerned that this may be it too. Sure, they’re on pace for 52 wins, a big accomplishment considering they have basically played the season without KL, but the cracks are still there. LMA struggling to understand how to be a “POP” Spur (admittedly better this season), Kahwi’s potential discontent, moving TP to the bench (never happened to Tim), Gasol’s value vs. his contract. LMA was an anti-Spurs move, and it’s been a mixed bag. Spurs chasing CP3 in the offseason, which is another anti-Spurs move shows that they may be feeling their own mortality as well.
Keep in mind those were really only anti-Spurs moves because they had Duncan, Manu, and Parker in their primes as guys who have been assumed to be lifetime Spurs for years. They just didn’t need anyone else. As they started to regress a little, they needed more talent which explains the Aldridge move. I think CP3 would’ve been a great fit with the Spurs, but that’s just my personal opinion.
The cp3 thing in hindsight really doesn’t matter. But you make an excellent point. They made a move for Leonard when nobody expected it and they had there big 3 together in there primes. So I do feel pop and Buford have adapted to other things like remaking the offense for Parker and so if they feel they need to improve I feel they will try.
Yeah Duncan never went to the bench. You’re talking a top ten guy all time, give or take depending on opinion. Pg breakdown faster and NBA pg position is the deepest position I feel. Parker will sacrifice to sign cheap no matter who offers cause he is a team player, plus I don’t think he brings the value that ginobili does. Spurs and Leonard we will see but I don’t see why pop wouldn’t do anything for him to be happy like he has done for others and plus Duncan almost went to Orlando, people forget that. I think this team will be fine if gay and Leonard come back and this team can get some games all together before the playoffs. But as the future goes. Bertans, Forbes, Anderson, Murray are all improving and are a nice young core. They will have money for a Max contract again this off season and Parker, Murray and Mills is a log jam. I can’t really see this being the end with how many great moves they have made in the past but I do think it’s time to kinda push the chips in. Rockets, warriors, Celtics and Cavs are all making lots and Morey is right. It’s a arms race. We will see either way without this team being healthy it’s tough to wave a white flag when we kinda don’t know where they are at.