San Antonio Spurs: Grading The Offseason
Re-Signing Manu Ginobili
Unlike Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili’s twilight years haven’t been quite as graceful. But to think his time as a productive NBA player is done would be a mistake, since San Antonio’s trio of Duncan, Ginobili and Tony Parker just never seems to die. For years we predicted the Spurs’ age would finally catch up to them, and every time they proved us wrong.
Last season, Ginobili averaged 10.5 points, 4.2 assists and 3.0 rebounds per game as his shooting percentages dipped to 42.6 percent from the floor and 34.5 percent from three-point range. He disappeared in the playoffs and at age 37, it’d be easy to doubt his ability to fill that sixth man role the way he once did.
Only Aldridge, overpaid by $1 million over 4 years, got what he "deserved." Otherwise, Leonard, Green, Duncan, even Ginobili all underpaid.
— Dan McCarney (@danmccarneyNBA) July 15, 2015
But Ginobili has been steadily treading water down this stream for a few years now, and this upcoming season, he’ll have others to defer to in that sixth man role. When Parker struggles, Ginobili has been the guy that attacks the basket and opens things up for the rest of the offense.
For $5.7 million over the next two years, Ginobili took a deal well below market value and the Spurs should be thrilled to have whatever he has left in the tank at that kind of bargain price. Ginobili deserves to be a Spurs lifer, so even though his career is winding down, this is a cheap deal to keep him — and whatever production he has left to offer — in San Antonio until the end.
Grade: B
Next: Going Green Discount