Matt Bonner says 10th season with the Spurs 'sounds like the punch line to a joke'
Veteran sharpshooter Matt Bonner is set to take his place alongside five current and future Hall of Famers.
Bonner, who is signed to a partially guaranteed deal, is entering his 10th consecutive season with the San Antonio Spurs. The only five players to reach that feat are George Gervin (11), Manu Ginobili (13), David Robinson (14), Tony Parker (14), and Tim Duncan (18).
The strangeness of the accomplishment isn't lost on Bonner.
"That sounds like the punch line to a joke," Bonner told Mike Monroe of the San Antonio Express-News. "It makes me feel like a printing error."
The 35-year-old Bonner was a longshot to make the NBA, let alone reach such heights with a historic franchise like the Spurs. Never known for anything other than his 3-point shot and affable personality, Bonner was a second-round pick that was traded on draft day to the Toronto Raptors for a future second-round selection.
After spending two seasons on the bench in Toronto, Bonner found a home in San Antonio after being traded in 2006. He helped the Spurs win a title in his first season and won a second ring in 2014.
Of course, longevity isn't to be confused with dominance. Bonner never once played more than 24 minutes per game and started just 104 games across his nine years with the Spurs. He never scored more than nine points per game and hasn't averaged over five boards in a season.
But Bonner understands his role, and he plays it well. His job is to spread the floor from a frontcourt position, and to his credit, has shot 41.2 percent from deep as a member of the Spurs.
"I feel my role is one that isn't super affected by growing older," said Bonner. "I come off the bench, don't play a ton of minutes. A lot of it is between the ears and in the chest, playing smart and playing with heart and playing hard. And then spacing the court and shooting when I’m open."
And as long as Bonner remains effective in his role, the Spurs will be more than happy to keep him around. The Spurs signed Bonner to a partially guaranteed one-year deal this summer.
"He found a home and a niche and he’s been great for us," Duncan said. "He stuck, and good for him."