Tim Duncan Should Retire Once San Antonio Spurs' Season Ends

There’s no doubt that Tim Duncan is one of the greatest players in NBA history, no matter if you classify him as a power forward or a center. He’s got the numbers and the rings to make him a slam-dunk first ballot Hall of Famer when he’s eligible, but amid a great playoff series between the San Antonio Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder, the 40-year-old version of ‘The Big Fundamental’ does not measure up.

Duncan played 28 minutes in Game 5 against the Thunder, which is his high for this postseason, but he went just 1-for-6 from the floor (3-for-4 from the line) with three rebounds, two blocks and one assist. That came after playing just 12 minutes in Game 4, as Duncan did not attempt a field goal and was held scoreless in a playoff game for the first time in his career (249 games).

Duncan’s veteran savvy and basketball IQ can allow him to be a productive player in short spurts when his clear physical shortcomings can be put on the back burner. But this series against Oklahoma City has been clear evidence of a final decline, as Duncan has gone just 3-for-18 from the floor over the last four games while being a cumulative plus-one player while on the floor over that span.

Thursday night’s Game 6, if Oklahoma City wins at home, could be the last game of Duncan’s career. If the Spurs do extend the series to a Game 7, or eventually move on from there, Duncan is absolutely nearing the end with nothing left to prove in his career.

It’s easy to speculate that Duncan will retire this summer, and he will definitely avoid the question with short answers when asked about his future. Whenever Duncan decides to call it quits, the minimal fanfare that marked his entire career will be the clear expectation.

Share On FacebookShare StumbleUpon