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Manu Ginobili Declines Player Option

June 22nd, 2016 at 9:43am CST by Luke Adams

9:43am: In his full story on Ginobili’s decision, Charania writes that the veteran Spur is leaning toward re-signing with San Antonio for at least one more season.

9:33am: Veteran guard Manu Ginobili is the latest player to decline a player option for 2016/17, opting not to pick up his $2.94MM option for next season, according to Shams Charania of The Vertical (Twitter link). ESPN’s Marc Stein first reported (via Twitter) that Ginobili was expected to head to free agency, as he continues to weigh his options.

While Ginobili will become a free agent, that doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll leave San Antonio, or even that he’ll continue his NBA career. Ginobili and the Spurs may ultimately work out a deal that allows him to return for another season, but it doesn’t sound like the 38-year-old has made a decision yet on whether to keep playing or retire.

The longtime Spur did show signs of slowing down in 2015/16, his 14th season in San Antonio. He played fewer than 20 minutes per game for the first time in his NBA career, and scored just 9.6 points per contest, his lowest mark since his rookie year. Still, while Ginobili’s role has been reduced, he continued to be reasonably effective when he did play — his 2015/16 shooting percentages (.453 FG%, .391 3PT%) were slightly better than his career averages.

The Spurs are expected to make a run at Kevin Durant this summer, and could take a look at some other top-tier free agents, but the looming decisions for Ginobili and Tim Duncan, who also has a player option for 2016/17, may have an impact on their offseason approach. Assuming both players want to continue their careers, it’s hard to imagine the Spurs not welcoming them back.

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Matt Bonner Hopes For Another Season With Spurs

June 21st, 2016 at 4:01pm CST by Luke Adams
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Spurs Want To Trade Up In Draft

June 19th, 2016 at 9:04am CST by Arthur Hill
  • The Spurs are working hard to move up in the draft, according to NBADraft.net (Twitter link) and Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders (link). San Antonio currently owns the No. 29 pick.
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Spurs Considering Signing 2011 Draftee Davis Bertans

June 16th, 2016 at 2:59pm CST by Luke Adams

The Spurs are considering bringing 2011 draft-and-stash prospect Davis Bertans stateside, sources with knowledge of the situation tell David Pick of Bleacher Report. According to Pick, no agreement between the two sides has been reached, but the Latvian small forward – who is an excellent shooter – would “give strong consideration” to heading to San Antonio for a two-year deal worth $4MM. Bertans’ NBA opt-out, which expires in mid-July, is worth the standard $650K. San Antonio originally acquired Bertans’ NBA rights in the 2011 draft-night trade that sent George Hill to Indiana for Kawhi Leonard.

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Bryn Forbes To Work Out For Spurs

June 15th, 2016 at 1:55pm CST by Luke Adams
  • According to Jessica Camerato of CSNPhilly.com (Twitter link), Michigan State guard Bryn Forbes has also been busy in recent weeks, having worked out for the Celtics, Magic, Hawks, Bulls, Wizards, and Lakers in addition to four more teams that were previously reported. Forbes still has workouts with the Pistons and Spurs on his schedule.
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Western Notes: Conley, Bogdanovic, Jazz Arena

June 14th, 2016 at 8:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

There is growing concern in the Grizzlies‘ front office that point guard Mike Conley might leave the team in free agency this summer, posts Ian Begley on ESPN Now. The 28-year-old will be the top point guard on the market after spending nine years in Memphis. Begley says Grizzlies part-owner Justin Timberlake will appear in a video presentation trying to convince Conley to remain with the team. Begley presents the item as possible good news for the Knicks, but it’s equally positive for all the teams planning to pursue Conley, and very negative for Memphis, which is hoping to keep the core of its perennial playoff team together. The Grizzlies still have the advantage of being able to offer Conley a five-year contract worth about $124MM, while other teams are limited to four years in the neighborhood of $92MM.

There’s more news from the Western Conference:

  • The Suns will negotiate with 2014 first-round pick Bogdan Bogdanovic now that his Turkish League season is over, according to Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic. This is the last season that Bogdanovic would be required to sign a rookie contract that would give him a salary of about $5.7MM over four years. If he waits until next offseason, Bogdanovic is free to negotiate any amount, starting with his draft year’s rookie salary scale.
  •  A request for $22.7MM in public funding for renovations to Utah’s Vivant Arena was approved today by the Redevelopment Agency of Salt Lake City, writes Jasen Lee of The Deseret News. The money, which will be awarded though tax increment financing over the next 25 years, makes up 18% of the total cost of the proposed $125MM project. It will include safety and security improvements, heating and air conditioning upgrades, a new solar panel system and plaza, concession, seating and premium suite improvements.
  • The Mavericks are planning a free agent camp June 22nd with Arnett Moultrie, Bobby Brown, Dominic McGuire and Nick Minnerath among the players invited, tweets Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders. Thanasis Antetokounmpo, who played two games for the Knicks this season, also received an invitation but has not confirmed that he will attend the camp (Twitter link).
  • The Spurs will hold a free agent camp Wednesday, Kennedy tweets, with Chris Copeland, Adonis Thomas, Victor Rudd, Scott Suggs, J.J. O’Brien and Darius Adams among those expected to attend.
  • The Timberwolves have had workouts for several veteran free agents, including Jimmer Fredette, Phil Pressey, Marquis Teague, Ryan Boatright, Mike James, Ra’shad James, Mark Lyons and Aaron Craft, tweets international journalist David Pick.
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David West To Opt Out Of Contract

June 13th, 2016 at 1:18pm CST by Luke Adams

David West will turn down his player option with the Spurs for the 2016/17 season, making him an unrestricted free agent next month, league sources tell Shams Charania of The Vertical (Twitter link). The option would have been worth $1,551,659, the minimum amount allowed for a player with West’s NBA experience.

[RELATED: Player option decisions for 2016/17]

According to Charania, West will “evaluate [his] playing future” after opting out of his contract. That wording suggests that retirement may be one option considered by the 35-year-old forward, who has 13 NBA seasons under his belt. Assuming he does want to continue his career, the Xavier alum may also re-evaluate his priorities in free agency, after taking a huge pay cut to join the Spurs a year ago.

West, who spent four seasons with the Pacers before signing with the Spurs last summer, played just 18 minutes per game for San Antonio, his lowest mark since his rookie year in 2003/04. He was still fairly effective in that limited role, however, recording a career-best .545 FG%.

West is one of three Spurs veterans facing decisions on player options and possible retirement this offseason — the other two, Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili, are among the franchise’s all-time greatest players. Duncan and Ginobili have yet to make announcements regarding their decisions on player options for 2016/17, but both players are viewed as candidates to call it a career.

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Spurs Plan Offer To Euro Forward Davis Bertans

June 12th, 2016 at 10:13am CST by Dana Gauruder

The Spurs are expected to make a minimum contract offer to Latvian combo forward Davis Bertans, Nikos Varlas of Eurohoops.net reports. San Antonio acquired his rights during the 2011 draft after the Pacers selected the 6’10” Bertans with the No. 42 pick. The Spurs also acquired the draft rights of small forward Kawhi Leonard in the same deal that sent point guard George Hill to the Pacers.

Bertans’ career has been marred by knee injuries. He tore his right ACL in March 2015 just two years after suffering a tear in the same knee. He had surgery for the second tear in San Antonio. He has been playing for the Spanish team Laboral Kutza Baskonia and has one year remaining on his contract, though he can be bought out for an unspecified amount, according to Varlas.

Bertans averaged 11.o points for Baskonia in 22 games prior to the 2015 tear. He appeared in 15 games last season, including eight starts, and averaged 7.9 points.

His biggest asset is his ability to stretch the floor. He has averaged 38.8% from 3-point range during his Euroleague career and is also an excellent free throw shooter at 82.4%.

Beyond starters LaMarcus Aldridge and Leonard and promising Kyle Anderson, there’s a lot of uncertainty regarding the Spurs’ forwards. Tim Duncan has to make a decision whether he wants to play at least one more year, while David West has a player option on his contract and could decide to reenter the free agent market. Matt Bonner is an unrestricted free agent, while swingman Jonathan Simmons has a non-guaranteed contract.

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Latest Draft News

June 10th, 2016 at 10:16pm CST by Eddie Scarito
  • Former Kansas shooting guard Wayne Selden has worked out for the Lakers, Rockets, Spurs and Bulls in addition to previously reported sessions with the Knicks and Bucks, Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders relays (via Twitter).
  • Former Louisville small forward Damion Lee has participated in workouts for the Clippers, Celtics, Suns, Spurs, Wizards, Jazz and Raptors, plus, he has upcoming visits scheduled with the Mavericks and Thunder, Kennedy tweets.
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