2. Get Manu Ginobili To Opt In
Despite being 38, San Antonio cannot afford to lose Manu Ginobili, especially if Tim Duncan retires. Ginobili offers too much to the team including shooting, experience, poise and leadership.
Ginobili played 58 games last season. In 19.6 minutes he averaged 9.6 points, 3.1 assists and 1.1 steals per game. He helps bring direction to the bench unit and is still one of the better inbound defenders in the league.
However, if Ginobili does opt in to the final year of his contract, I think it will be at reduced minutes.
Danny Green has the starting role on this team. In his 79 games, Green averaged 26.1 minutes, 7,2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game. These are not the best numbers but he is a very important piece of the stingiest defense in the NBA.
Green’s scoring output went down from 11.7 to 7.2 per game. His field goal shooting went from 43.6 percent to 37.6 percent and his three-point shooting dropped from 41.8 percent to 33.2 percent. If Green’s numbers continue to fall, then Ginobili needs to be kept around for insurance.
Jonathon Simmons showed promise last season after being promoted from the Austin Spurs where he played for two years. In the last game of the regular season against Dallas, Simmons played 30 minutes, scoring 19 points and collecting seven rebounds.
These are the sort of nights San Antonio would like to see Simmons have regularly.
Ginobili would, for the future of the team, reduce his minutes and allow Simmons to develop further. Simmons is a good prospect, playing 59 games and averaging 6.2 points in 15.0 minutes per game.
Even if Duncan does decide to play on next season, San Antonio will not win as many games without Ginobili. His intangibles are that valuable to a basketball team.
Next: Pick Up Simmons' Team Option