| | Associated Press
SAN ANTONIO -- It turns out Orlando was not so magical after
all.
Tim Duncan -- the biggest prize in this year's NBA free-agent
pool -- said Tuesday he will remain with the San Antonio Spurs,
spurning an offer to play with the Orlando Magic.
| |  | |
| Duncan |
"Orlando had a lot to offer. I went down there and had a good
time. When it came down to it, I just liked what I had here,"
Duncan said.
Despite the Spurs aging lineup, Duncan said he believes the team
can challenge the Los Angeles Lakers for next year's title. The
Spurs won in 1998-99.
"I think we have a great opportunity with myself, and David (Robinson) at the core of the whole thing and the fact that we have
won it before."
If Duncan had joined the Magic, he would have played with Grant
Hill, the five-time all-star who is joining Orlando from Detroit.
The Magic offered Duncan a six-year contract worth $67.5
million.
Duncan, 24, could sign a seven-year deal worth $86.5 million if he
re-signs with San Antonio, although he is considered more likely to
sign a shorter deal. Duncan has a nonbinding commitment to the
Spurs and cannot officially sign a contract with the team until
Aug. 1.
Lon Babby, Duncan's attorney, said he was happy that Duncan
decided early.
"He's got to this point. Now, I have a lot of work to do,"
Babby said, referring to the deal he has to craft with the team.
Neither would say if they would ask for a long- or short-term deal
with the Spurs.
Duncan said he felt relieved.
"It was rather annoying," he said about the attention. "I'm
glad the process is over and people will stop following me."
Helicopters flew overhead when he visited Orlando, and he'd been
followed by media prior to his decision.
John Gabriel, Orlando Magic general manager, said, "We tried to
exhaust every opportunity. We tried to change his mind and sway
him. We made a battle out of it. We took the best shot that we
could."
The news was a relief for Spurs fans, who pleaded for his return
to the team he guided to the 1999 NBA title. Fans dotted the
community in recent weeks with billboards and placards reading:
"Stay Tim, Stay!" Duncan was the Most Valuable Player for the championship series.
Duncan is the key to San Antonio's future.
Without him, the Spurs would be left with a brand-new $175 million
arena for the 2002-2003 season without one of the game's
superstars.
Orlando pushed hard to sign both Duncan and Hill, who has said
he will sign with the Magic on Friday. Both players traveled to
Orlando on the same weekend and were treated to stays in one of the
theme-park city's top resort hotels and luxurious parties hosted by
Magic executives.
Duncan even met Tiger Woods, who lives nearby.
The Magic have the NBA's coach of the year in Doc Rivers and
enough salary cap room to sign two of the league's top free agents.
But the Spurs applied their own pressure. Robinson, who along
with Duncan gives San Antonio the most formidable front-line duo in
the league, returned early from a Hawaii vacation to persuade
Duncan to stay. | |
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 Tim Duncan announces he will remain in San Antonio.
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Orlando GM John Gabriel says that the team will move forward after failing to sign Tim Duncan.
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Tim Duncan likes the opportunities he has in San Antonio.
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