Longtime San Antonio Spur and recently-retired icon Tim Duncan has received offers from his former coach, Gregg Popovich, to see if he would consider being a part of the coaching staff. As it turns out, the organization is just happy to have him around for now.
“He came around and said hi a couple of times,” Popovich told Kevin Ding of Bleacher Report. “We're not hiring him as an assistant coach or anything. We just like his presence. His presence is always welcome.”
Duncan's absence from the team will probably be for the best as he's cast a long 19-year shadow that can at times be overwhelming for an organization chasing success the way the Spurs have during his playing career.
New addition Pau Gasol said he's going into tonight's season-opener against the Golden State Warriors without Duncan's shadow roaming around the locker room.
“I don't have that pressure,” Gasol told Bleacher Report last week. “Things change. People are different. And you have to be true to yourself and always give your best, and that's what I'm going to try to do.”
“I wish I could've played with Timmy to some degree—and have him around in practice, because I'm sure even at this point in my career I could learn a lot from him. And it'd be fun.”
While Tim Duncan is likely just looking for a momentary break from a grueling 19-year professional career, this break might be beneficial for him and the organization — though something tells us that it won't be long until he joins the Spurs on the sidelines.
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