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Report: Duncan exercises 2016-17 option, still unsure if he'll play

J Pat Carter / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Tim Duncan still hasn't made up his mind about whether or not to retire, but if he returns for a 20th NBA season, it will be for the very reasonable sum of $5.6 million.

The San Antonio Spurs quadragenarian big man exercised his player option for the 2016-17 season, but doesn't yet know if he'll actually play, The Vertical's Adrian Wojnarowksi reports. Duncan had a deadline by which he had to decide whether to opt in, but the Spurs are reportedly letting him take as long as he needs to decide on his future.

Duncan is taking stock of the state of his body - which, between the regular season and playoffs, has now absorbed 56,738 NBA minutes (eighth all-time) - as well as his competitive desire, sources told Wojnarowski.

The 15-time All-Star, two-time MVP, three-time Finals MVP, and five-time champion is coming off his least productive season, having averaged 8.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.3 blocks across 61 games.

Duncan remained highly effective as a team defender and one-on-one post stopper, but his mobility seemed to decline as the season wore on, and he was effectively played off the floor by the far younger, sprier, and more athletic Oklahoma City Thunder in the second round of the playoffs.

The Thunder won that series in six games, a disappointing end to what had been the best regular season in Spurs franchise history.

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