Spurs' Ginobili near three-year extension
By Jeff McDonald - Express-News
PHOENIX — All along, throughout a period of contract uncertainty that seemed interminable, Manu Ginobili maintained his desire to remain with the Spurs. After a two-month stretch that rates among the best of his career, Ginobili appears closer than ever to getting his wish.
In a turn of events that appeared improbable less than a week earlier, Ginobili said Wednesday he has agreed to the framework of a deal that would keep him in San Antonio through the 2012-13 season.
There are small things to take care of, numbers to crunch, but I'm optimistic, Ginobili told the Express-News before Wednesday's game at Phoenix. We should have something in a day or two.
The three-year deal is reportedly worth $38.9 million, the maximum the Spurs can offer under the collective bargaining agreement. It is expected to be finalized later this week.
Ginobili, 32, is in the final season of the contract he signed in the summer of 2004, which pays him more than $10.7 million this year. The Spurs have until July 1 to extend that deal or risk losing him to free agency.
With the way Ginobili has been playing recently, that proved to be a risk the Spurs could not afford to take, even with a $10 million luxury tax bill expected this summer.
Throughout the season, Spurs general manager R.C. Buford had been engaged in ongoing talks with Ginobili's agent, Herb Rudoy. This week, those conversations ramped up in intensity.
We're talking a lot more now than we were earlier, trying to see if we can get something done now, said Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, who is also the team's president of basketball operations.
Rudoy sounded an optimistic note as well.
We are talking really seriously with R.C. now, Rudoy said. The fans of San Antonio can have some hope, but we are not done yet.
As recently as six days ago, Ginobili was preparing himself for summertime free agency.
I thought it was (headed there), said Ginobili, who has spent all eight of his NBA seasons with the Spurs. It's not like I was threatening them. I said all along my preference was to stay here, but they weren't giving me a lot of signs.
After an injury-plagued 2008-09 season, with ailments dating to the 2008 Western Conference finals, the Spurs wanted Ginobili to prove he could stay healthy and approach the All-Star form he flashed during a career year in 2007-08.
For the first half of the season, Ginobili struggled to supply that evidence. He averaged 13.4 points and shot 40.1 percent in his first 46 games.
I was worried (about him) early in the year, Popovich said. I was worried athletically, energy-wise, rhythm-wise. He just seemed off.
Physically healthy and now playing, in Popovich's words, like the guy who helped us win championships, Ginobili has averaged 22.5 points and 5.6 assists since the All-Star break. He has been the driving force behind the Spurs' rise in the Western Conference standings.
If there was a tipping point in the negotiations, it might have come last weekend, when Ginobili totaled 75 points to lead the Spurs to consecutive victories over Orlando and the L.A. Lakers.
Speaking about his uncertain contract status after Friday's win over the Magic, Ginobili acknowledged the possibility his days in San Antonio could be numbered. Six days later, Ginobili can at last envision an NBA career that ends where it started.
It's closer than it's ever been, he said. I feel good about it.
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Manu Ginobili Talks About Contract Extensionby bball2night2,044 views
Manu is the best made me so happy last nights game
404040c 10 months ago
sweet big time real spurs fan gyeah 210
404040c 10 months ago
GO SPURS!
GunGemini 1 year ago
manu has big cajones, the haters have tiny balitas...
miker451 1 year ago
manu ginobili sucks ssssoooo bad every one hates him this video is a waste of time!!!! he isnt even a starter. he knows that if he isnt with the spurs anymore he wont have a job he well just be a free agent for the rest of his horrible life!
burneree000 1 year ago
Great vid Tom! Hope we can work together soon!
villana6ps 1 year ago