Parker hopes to stay with Spurs
NEW YORK – Tony Parker(notes) reiterated Wednesday that he hopes to remain with the San Antonio Spurs – even if the choice isn’t up to him.
The Spurs have had discussions about trading Parker for a high pick in Thursday’s NBA draft, Yahoo! Sports reported Tuesday. The Toronto Raptors and Sacramento Kings, who hold the fifth and seventh picks, respectively, have talked to the Spurs about Parker. One league source said the chances of the Spurs reaching a deal with the Kings isn’t likely.
Spurs guard George Hill(notes) also has drawn some trade interest from teams with picks in the middle of the lottery.
Parker said he hopes to finish his career in San Antonio.
“I just hope I stay in San Antonio,” said Parker, who is in town for Steve Nash’s(notes) charity soccer game. “I love it in San Antonio. I’ve had some great years in San Antonio. I just re-signed four years and I hope I can stay there.”
When asked specifically about possibly being dealt to Toronto or Sacramento, Parker said only: “We will see. I love it in San Antonio.”
Parker, 29, has played for the Spurs his entire 10-year NBA career after the team drafted him 28th in 2001. He averaged 17.5 points and 6.6 assists this season and signed a four-year, $50 million extension in October that begins next season. Only $3.5 million of $12.5 million in the final season (2014-15) is guaranteed if Parker is waived by June 30, 2014.
Parker helped the Spurs to the Western Conference’s best record this season, but didn’t play well early in their first-round loss to the eighth-seeded Memphis Grizzlies. Shortly after the Spurs’ exit, French media reported that Parker said the team’s days of contending for championships had all but ended. Parker has since tried to distance himself from the comments.
“That’s not what I said, so I’m not going to talk about that,” Parker said. “I don’t want to talk about that.”
Raptors guard Leandro Barbosa(notes) was on his way to meet Parker at a local club Tuesday night when he was told about his team’s trade conversations with the Spurs. Barbosa, who believes the Raptors talked with the Spurs, didn’t end up meeting Parker, but planned to have dinner with him on Wednesday.
“I told him [via text message], ‘Are you going to play with me?’ ” Barbosa said. “He said, ‘Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.’
“I would love to play with him. You never know what can happen in the NBA. I guess we got to wait and see what’s up.”
