Tim Duncan finally commented on his retirement. And his comments were so Tim Duncan.
Duncan spoke to ViVid Streaming on Wednesday in the aftermath of the San Antonio Spurs’ Monday announcement that he would be retiring from the NBA after 19 years. As expected. He was nothing if not humble in his send off, which included a full-blown official statement as well, per The Undefeated’s Marc J. Spears:
Tim Duncan statement pic.twitter.com/W5VxFAmev0
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpearsESPN) July 13, 2016
His reason for retiring, though, is the real kicker. Duncan made it known that he could still play if he wanted, per Quixem Ramirez of Pounding the Rock:
Duncan: "I can probably still play but when it’s time, it’s time. And it’s time."
— Quixem Ramirez (@quixem) July 13, 2016
The problem, aside from maybe some knee issues? He just doesn’t want to anymore:
Duncan, asked about why he is retiring: "I started not enjoying myself as much. It wasn’t fun as much. When it’s not fun anymore, I’m done."
— Quixem Ramirez (@quixem) July 13, 2016
At least he’s being honest. He is 40 years old. The mental and physical preparation that goes into being ready to play every day probably just isn’t worth it to him.
Plus, his struggles against the Golden State Warriors were only a micro harbinger of how he might fare on a macro scale, now that the league appears to be gravitating toward smaller, spacier frontcourt.
And then there’s Kevin Durant’s decision to join the Warriors. Duncan isn’t one to shy away from competition, but jeez. A 73-win powerhouse just became even more terrifying—an NBA Finals formality in every sense of the phrase.
If you’re Duncan, do you really want to return for one more go-round, just so you can be a liability whenever your Spurs play the most important opponent in the league? Probably not.
If Durant stays put, maybe Duncan runs it back, knowing the Spurs have a better chance of getting him a sixth ring. Or maybe his decision was made independent of everyone else, including the Spurs, who are still built like a title favorite on paper, Golden State’s inevitable rein notwithstanding.
Deciding on his future without regard for any circumstances other than his own interest in playing, after all, would be so Duncan.
