Spurs’ Duncan ‘unlikely’ to opt out of final year of deal

A source with knowledge of Spurs’ star Tim Duncan’s thinking said Monday it was “unlikely” the veteran would opt out of the final year of his contract by the Thursday deadline to do so.

Duncan is due more than $21 million in the last year of his two-year, $40 million extension he signed in 2007. He was not expected to opt out, given his relationship with the Spurs’ organization and coach Gregg Popovich, and given that he’d likely have to take a massive pay cut if he decided for some reason to test the free agent waters.

The 35-year-old Duncan averaged just 13.4 points and 8.9 rebounds last season, the lowest averages of his career. But those numbers were deceiving, as Popovich also purposely lowered Duncan’s minutes to a career-low 28.4 per game in an effort to keep his franchise player fresher for the playoffs and encouraged other players to take on more of the scoring load. It worked during the regular season as the Spurs posted the best record in the Western Conference, but San Antonio lost to the No. 8 seed Grizzlies in the first round of the playoffs.

Earlier Monday, Hornets forward David West opted out of the final year of his contract, leaving $7.5 million on the table for next season, despite coming off of a serious knee injury last April.