According to several reports, San Antonio Spurs guard Manu Ginobili is closing in on a contract to return to the Spurs for his 16th season.
With Jonathon Simmons signing with Orlando, bringing Ginobili back gives the Spurs the added depth they lost with Simmons’ departure, and it also gives the Spurs another passer they’ll especially need early in the season with Tony Parker out due to injury.
Ginobili played in 69 regular season games last season, and although he was on the floor for a career low 18.7 minutes per game, he was a key member of the Spurs’ second unit and put together a solid playoff run, which included a Game 5 block of a potentially game-tying three-pointer by Rockets guard James Harden.
He went on to average 18 points per game in his last two playoff games against the Golden State Warriors, and also added seven assists and three steals in the Game 4 loss.
While Ginobili will soon turn 40, bringing Ginobili back should pay dividends for the Spurs. Aside from the corporate knowledge gained from playing his entire NBA career for the Spurs and having a trusted ball handler, the Spurs will have another leader on the floor and in the locker room.
His leadership abilities and competitiveness also bodes well for the young guards on the Spurs’ roster.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski also reported that the Spurs are finalizing a new contract with center Pau Gasol.
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