SAN ANTONIO -- May simpleng mensahe si Manu Ginobili para sa kanyang mga teammates sa isang emosyunal na team meeting nitong Martes.
Ito ay ang muling ulitin ang paghahari sa NBA sa susunod na season.
May anim na potensyal na free agents na pinangungunahan ni Tim Duncan, malinaw ang mensahe ni Ginobili na panatilihin ang line-up ng Spurs para sa inaasam na pang-anim na NBA championship.
“I’m pretty sure most of the team is going to come back,’’ wika ni Ginobili.
Muling nagkita-kita ang koponan ng San Antonio sa unang pagkaka-taon matapos talunin ang Miami, 104-87, noong Linggo para tapusin ang NBA Finals sa 4-1.
Magsisimula naman ang free agency sa Hulyo 1 at maaaring may ilang Spurs na makasama dito.
“Manu spoke to us,’’ wika ni Spurs guard Danny Green. “He had some good things to say. We had a great season. He was really emotional, he’s proud of us. In a short amount of words, (he said) ‘Obviously I had fun, I don’t know if you guys did, but I had a good time. You guys want to do it again?’ Try to put a little bug in their ears. Hopefully they come back.’’
Ang 38-anyos na si Duncan ay may player option, ngunit gusto ng kanyang mga teammates na bumalik siya sa susunod na season.
“It will come to an end, but I don’t think next year,’’ sabi ni guard Tony Parker sa posibleng pagreretiro ni Duncan. “I think everybody’s going to come back.’’
Si Parker ay may non-guaranteed contract, ngunit hindi naman siya pakakawalan ng San Antonio.
Sina Patty Mills, Boris Diaw, Matt Bonner at Aron Baynes ay magiging unrestricted free agents.