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Manu Ginobili announces he'll return for 2015-16 season

Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

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Manu Ginobili is nothing if not selfless.

After months of uncertainty and speculation, the soon-to-be 38-year-old Argentine shooting guard and lifetime San Antonio Spur announced his intention to put off retirement and return for a 14th NBA season in 2015-16.

His reason? Longtime teammate Tim Duncan would've missed him too much.

We're sure there were some other motivations, too. Like, say, a golden opportunity to snag his fifth NBA championship now that LaMarcus Aldridge is in the fray. But it's telling that his first impulse was to shout out Timmy.

Ginobili's contract with the Spurs officially expired on July 1, and the details of his deal for next season (and potentially beyond) are still being worked out, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports.

Duncan, who announced his own return last week, hasn't finalized his contract for next season either, but it's assumed that both players will be returning at heavily discounted rates. The Spurs will need them too if they're to adequately restock their depleted bench – which has lost Marco Belinelli, Cory Joseph, and Aron Baynes to free agency and Tiago Splitter via trade – while squeezing in Aldridge's four-year, $80-million deal.

In 22.7 minutes per game last season, Ginobili averaged 10.5 points and 4.2 assists, shooting 42.6 percent from the field and 34.5 percent from 3-point range. And while his PER was lower than it's been since his rookie season, it still clocked in at an above-average 16.2.

In his 13 seasons in San Antonio, Ginobili has played in a remarkable 187 playoff games, won four titles, made two All-Star teams, won a Sixth Man of the Year award, was named to two All-NBA third teams, and put together a convincing Hall of Fame case.

He also took down a bat on the loose at AT&T Center that one time.

We're glad we don't have to say goodbye to him just yet.

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