Tag: Tim Duncan

How to get fender bent by a Mavs fan

Want to show your Spurs pride on your vehicle, but think the half dozen Go Spurs Go flags and the super classy Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili mural covering your back window doesn’t quite make the point?

You’re in luck.

The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles has approved a Spurs specialty license plate. It isn’t yet available for purchase, but is on the , along with plates celebrating the Houston Rockets, Dr Pepper and the National Wild Turkey Federation.

Just have to have one as soon as humanly possible?  for more information.

Manu wins another E-N reader’s choice poll

If it’s June, it must be about time for Manu Ginobili to claim another prize from Express-News readers as the most popular Spurs player.

Ginobili earned his fifth gold medal in the last six seasons as the most popular Spurs player award in balloting for the

Tim Duncan earned silver and TonyParker earned the bronze from Express-News readers. Parker earned the critic’s choice honors.

It’s not a surprise that “The Big Three” again dominated the annual balloting. Ginobili has won every season in the last six except for 2009, where he was hampered by injuries and earned the bronze. Parker won the gold that season.  

I always look  forward to the annual balloting to learn all kinds of neat information about the city. It’s interesting to see if any new restaurants, sporting goods stores, radio personalities or spas pop up on the list.

But over the years, there has been little shuffling among the most popular Spurs.

And it’s that way again this year.

Duncan won’t opt out

By Jeff McDonald
jmcdonald@express-news.net

Tim Duncan is not expected to opt out of the final year of his contract, and the Spurs don’t plan to offer him an extension before the collective bargaining agreement expires Thursday, according to a source familiar with talks between the team and the franchise icon.

As such, Duncan will play out the final year of his existing deal, during which he is scheduled to earn $21.2 million, and remains on track to become a free agent after the 2011-12 campaign.

Duncan faces a Thursday deadline to exercise a early-termination option. His apparent decision not to do so is not surprising in light of the league’s unsure labor climate.

With a contentious fight broiling between the NBA’s owners and players union this summer, and with so much uncertainty still surrounding the next CBA, Duncan has apparently determined it is in his best interest to stand pat on what, at age 35, is likely to be his last high-dollar payday.

Should Duncan choose to continue playing after next season, the Spurs would prefer to re-sign him under the new set of salary rules, which are generally expected to be more favorable to small-market clubs.

There had been some speculation Duncan might decide to trigger his early-termination option and renegotiate his contract, in a manner that might give the Spurs payroll flexibility to better fortify their roster next season.

Duncan took a similar approach in signing a four-year extension before the 2007-08 season, accepting less than maximum money and leaving the Spurs room to eventually add Richard Jefferson in the summer of 2009.

A 13-time All-Star, two-time league MVP and three-time Finals MVP, Duncan logged career lows last season in scoring (13.4 points per game), rebounding (8.9 per game) and minutes (28.4 per game).

Though more of a statistical bit player than he was in his prime, Duncan in his 14th NBA season remained the central figure for the Spurs, both on the court and in the locker room.

“He’s not going to look like rookie Tim Duncan,” coach Gregg Popovich said in an interview conducted during the season. “Nobody is going to look like they did 14 years ago. He’s still so steady. He’s still our rock out there.”