Ginobili will play for Argentina in Olympics, unsure about return to Spurs
Manu Ginobili will be suiting up for Argentina in the Rio Olympics this summer.
That doesn't necessarily mean he'll be playing another season for the San Antonio Spurs in 2017-18, though.
“I just made the decision to play in the Olympics,” Ginobili said, according to the San Antonio Express-News' Jeff McDonald. "At this point, I take the seasons month by month, not season by season. I know I have one more Olympics in me. If I have another season, we'll see."
It will be the fourth and final time Ginobili has played for Argentina in the Summer Olympics.
Ginobili - who turns 39 in July - won a gold medal with Argentina in Athens, Greece, in 2004, averaging 19.3 points, four rebounds, and 3.3 assists. He won a bronze medal four years later in Beijing, China.
Not walking away from the 2012 London Games with a medal around his neck, Ginobili once believed that would be his last taste of the Olympics for his basketball career.
"Four years ago, I didn't think I was going to be going through this (decision),” Ginobili said. "I thought I was going to retire first."
The 6-foot-6 guard is playing fewer than 20 minutes per game for the first time in 14 seasons. He also missed a stretch of 12 games after undergoing surgery for a testicular injury.
Ginobili has a player option worth $2.9 million for next season, which would be just a blip on the team's books due to the soaring salary cap. It appears, though, as if he'll be basing his decision on how he feels after the Games, which could end up being the last time fans see him grace the hardwood.
"The three Olympic experiences I had were unforgettable," Ginobili said. "Since I am active and feeling good and enjoying the game, I thought it would be a great opportunity to do it again."
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