NBA Trade Rumors & News 2014: Is Tim Duncan Retiring?

Being one of the oldest but most effective team in the NBA, there is always a lingering question as to which one in the San Antonio Spurs lineup would be next to retire. After winning the NBA championship on June 15, Tim Duncan, 38 years old, was asked the question again.

The 7-foot veteran replied in an article by CBS Sports, "I'm not saying I'm retiring, I'm not saying I'm not retiring. I'm not saying anything. I haven't told anybody anything, nor have I thought about it in any respect."

Even coach Gregg Popovich was asked the same question. He had a more definite answer, "I don't feel tired. I mean, I'm tired today, but I mean in general. I'd like to continue to coach."

Popovich has been preserving Duncan throughout the 2013-2014 NBA regular season to prepare him for the playoffs, which worked out to their advantage. At his age, he could be working as a sports commentator or helping out at kids' basketball camps. However, the ageless athlete continues to dominate the paint, scoring 16.4 points and leading the Spurs in rebounds, blocks and minutes played.

According to Sporting News, Duncan has visited the NBA Finals six times, and won five times. Duncan still has a lot to offer to the team. His condition and performance may only be a shadow of his 2002 self but he remains the backbone of the whole team. He also has a role to mentor rising stars like newly crowned Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard.

Former teammate David Robinson was at courtside when the Spurs won the 2014 championship. Robinson described Duncan, "You saw him out there, how effective he was. Tim can turn it on when he needs to, when the team needs him to." He added, "And when you look at the NBA, this is a team that can still keep winning. It is hard to see who could beat them next year after a series like this. Tim is the leader in there. Of course we would love to have him back."

In a Yahoo! Sports report, one of San Antonio's advantages in consistently winning is the team's ability to adapt. Its individual players continue to adapt despite the many changes that the sport has gone through in the past decades. Ginobili, Parker and Duncan have evolved as players which is why they continue to dominate despite the new talents that are brought in the NBA each year.

Duncan said, "We've adapted and come out here and been able to win another championship. So proud. It's unbelievable."