It’s hard to imagine San Antonio Spurs guard Manu Ginobili in any other NBA uniform apart from the Spurs' colors we’ve all gotten used to seeing him sport. Our perception of Ginobili, however, nearly got bent back in the offseason, when the Philadelphia 76ers put an offer on the table for the Argentinian legend.
That deal appeared so close to happening that Sixers head coach Brett Brown said during an appearance on ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski's “The Woj Pod” that he thought Ginobili was actually headed to Philly.
“No doubt. Things change… but you get excited and you trick yourself to think, ‘I'll be damned, he's actually coming to Philadelphia.'”
Manu Ginobili was initially thought to be set for retirement after his previous contract with the Spurs expired over the summer. He did get offers as a free agent, however, including one from the Sixers before deciding to go back to San Antonio, signing a one-year, $14 million contract with the same team that drafted him 57th overall way back in 1999.
Had Ginobili landed in Philadelphia, he would’ve been a great asset for a young Sixers team that could definitely use an experienced and accomplished veteran like him.
Brett Brown isn’t kicking himself for that missed opportunity, though.
“I think it's played out just as it should've,” Brown said. “He can end his career probably where he should be. Life moves on.”
So far in probably his last season in the NBA, the 40-year-old Ginobili is averaging 8.5 points, 2.4 assists, and 2.3 rebounds per game.
