Tim Duncan can still be productive

After this year’s playoffs, anyone can tell that San Antonio Spurs’ Tim Duncan still has some fuel left in the tank. If he were limping through the postseason, not producing for his team, people would be calling for his retirement, that’s not the case.

The question isn’t “when will Tim Duncan retire?” it’s “how much longer can Tim Duncan play for?” While that remains to be seen, he says he’ll surely be ready to give it a go next season.

“Tim Duncan is an unrestricted free agent and has said repeatedly over the past few months that he does not plan to retire. While Duncan chose to allow his current contract to expire, he still believes he can play a productive role with the Spurs next season if they keep their core intact. Duncan, 36, said losing weight and reducing his minutes extended his endurance in the playoffs.”

There’s no question in anybody’s mind that Duncan will finish his career in San Antonio. The Spurs are the perfect system for him if he decides he wants to keep playing. Coach Gregg Popovich is an expert at managing veteran minutes to not overwork them and still get the best out of his players. Not to mention, the bonds he has with his coach, his teammates and his city are some of the strongest I’ve ever seen in a professional athlete.

So how much longer will we see Tim Duncan in a Spurs uniform? My guess is two years, but we should probably take it one year at a time. Duncan will definitely want to walk away from the game on his own terms before he’s forced into it because he’s not contributing anymore. He’s smart enough to know when he’s not an asset to his team anymore, so he’ll retire when the time is right. Right now that’s not the case, so play on Tim!