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Report: Duncan, Popovich likely to return
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
Signs point to power forward Tim Duncan and coach Gregg Popovich returning to the San Antonio Spurs next season.
Speculation during the playoffs has centered around whether the two would be back should they win a fifth NBA title. ESPN reported that the 38-year-old Duncan has a June 24 deadline to opt in to his contract next season.
But the Spurs believe both Duncan and Popovich — win or lose — will stay next season. The contracts of Duncan, Popovich and guards Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili expire after next season. Parker makes $12.5 million and Ginobili $7 million this season.
Duncan and Popovich have refused the address their futures during the postseason. According to ESPN sources, Duncan’s opt-in date is earlier than most players to help the Spurs get a read on his plan before the June 26 draft and the beginning of free agency on July 1. But there apparently is some flexibility on Duncan declaring his intentions on whether he’ll exercise the option year of his contract.
Before the series, Duncan would not tip his hand either way on his future plans.
“I don’t know when I’m going to retire,” Duncan said. “I don’t know what the factors are going to be. I don’t know any of that and I don’t care about any of that stuff right now. It will happen when it happens.”
Ginobili has indicated that he definitely will be back next season.
The Spurs hold a commanding 3-1 lead over the Miami Heat heading into Game 5 on Sunday in San Antonio.
