NBA veteran Manu Ginobili has hinted that he would like to remain with the San Antonio Spurs for at least one more season. But, according to his agent, the Spurs might have to offer a high-valued contract if they want to re-sign the Argentinian shooting guard.
Even before the NBA free agency market kicked off, Ginobili's status with the San Antonio franchise has already been the subject of rumors. But recently, the 38-year-old professional athlete was able to shed a bit of light into this matter.
In his website, Ginobili briefly discussed what he plans to do with his professional basketball career in the future. Although he did not mention a specific team, he noted that the last NBA season went well for him, even though he suffered a testicular injury in February during a game against the New Orleans Pelicans.
"The reality is that I feel more certain and I see it more clearly than last year," Ginobili wrote in the website. "The season went well for me and aside from the 'minor' incident in February I remained healthy. I definitely want to keep enjoying basketball a little while longer."
Based on his post, it seems Ginobili is still happy playing for San Antonio and would probably still want to remain with the team even though he declined his player option for this season that's worth $2.9 million.
But, despite becoming a free agent, it has always been expected that he will re-sign with the Spurs. However, since he will be joining the first team, various sources noted that he will most likely take a hometown discount.
His agent Herb Rudoy, on the other hand, doesn't believe that his client will accept a discounted offer. After all, Rudoy noted that a league has a lot of money and it has been spending it on players who are not on the same level as Ginobili.
"Obviously, his first choice is to come back to the Spurs if we can put together a good deal," he told the San Antonio Express News. "If you look around the league, there is a lot of money going around for lesser players than Manu."
"Manu is very aware of what the market looks like, and the Spurs are very aware," he added.
