Will Jason and Joumana Kidd stay in New Jersey or go elsewhere? Will Gilbert Arenas be departing Golden State for a hefty pay raise in Denver? Will any NBA team have enough guts to sign Los Angeles Clippers restricted free agents Elton Brand and Andre Miller to an offer sheet? Will Gary Payton continue to eat cheese in Milwaukee? Will Jerry Stackhouse opt of his contract in Washington?

Many of this summer's free agents have rumors running rampant all around them and their potential destination. But when it comes to the likely top free agent of them all, San Antonio Spurs forward Tim Duncan, nothing is heard.

	Tim Duncan, left, could be receiving the ball from Jason Kidd next season.

It is very doubtful he is going anywhere.

"I don't think about it at all," said Duncan, who is expected to exercise a contract option to become a free agent this summer. "It's going to happen. And when it happens, I will figure it out then."

If the Spurs keep up their part of the bargain, they have no reason to think much about it, either.

The morning commute is quite easy for Duncan in San Antonio. The Spurs have purposely built a new, plush practice facility within driving distance of Duncan's new home, and eggs and bacon before practice and tortilla soup after practice await Duncan. Winning is still the norm near the Alamo as the Spurs also remain high among the NBA's top teams with a 41-18 record entering Thursday. The mammoth Alamodome has been replaced for a quality and comfortable new SBC Center. And Duncan and Spurs coach Gregg Popovich are as tight as Anna Nicole Smith in a body suit.

Despite all the pluses, Spurs general manager R.C. Buford isn't taking the re-signing of Duncan lightly.

"We've never taken anything for granted for him and we'll never do so," Buford said. "We hope we've stabilized a competitive team together with him that he believes he can go forward with."

Yes, there are plenty of things to make the 2002 MVP quite happy in San Antonio, but there is one major concern. Who replaces future Hall of Fame center David Robinson?

"I don't know if there is any way to replace (Robinson)," Duncan said. "I don't know if you go that route or a different route. He's one of the top 50 (NBA players) of all time. He's one of the greatest ever to play the game. You don't replace that. You try to do the best you can to fill it in."

	“	I want to win, I'm here to win and I want to be with a winning team with an opportunity to win a championship. And that's the bottom line. ”
		— Tim Duncan

Should they re-sign Duncan, the Spurs are expected to still be far enough under the salary cap to sign another maximum free agent.

The Spurs seem very interested in possibly adding free-agent-to-be Michael Olowokandi of the Clippers. Word is, San Antonio is Olowokandi's first choice. While it's questionable whether Olowokandi will ever live up to his potential, giving Duncan another big man that is bigger than Robinson with offensive skills is quite intriguing to the Spurs.

The Spurs also are warming up to the idea of possibly going after Indiana Pacers forward Jermaine O'Neal. Such a move wouldn't give Duncan his coveted true center, but it would give San Antonio the most intimidating offensive post duo in the NBA and possibly the best duo, period, outside of Shaq and Kobe.

However, the most intriguing option for the Spurs is signing Kidd. Why would San Antonio want Kidd and not go after another big man, especially now that young Tony Parker is playing great? Well, because Kidd is the best at his job in the league, and his addition would not push out Parker but keep him in the backcourt with Kidd. Just imagine a Spurs lineup featuring Kidd, Parker, Emanuel Ginobili and Duncan.

So who plays center with that lineup? Who cares. With that group, you could put Chuck Nevitt or Mini Me in the post and still have a shot at winning the NBA title. With what is already in place -- and the potential possibilities ahead and realistic championship dreams -- Duncan has no reason to leave. Don't expect him to leave.

"I want to win, I'm here to win and I want to be with a winning team with an opportunity to win a championship," Duncan said. "And that's the bottom line."

Marc J. Spears, who covers the Denver Nuggets for the Denver Post, is a regular contributor to ESPN.com.