Tony Parker Willing to Leave Spurs to Play 3 More NBA Seasons

The longtime San Antonio point guard wants to reach the 20-seasons mark for his career.

Tony Parker #9 of the San Antonio Spurs handles the ball against the Los Angeles Lakers on April 4, 2018 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
Tony Parker #9 of the San Antonio Spurs handles the ball against the Los Angeles Lakers on April 4, 2018 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
NBAE/Getty Images

Four-time NBA champion Tony Parker is sure he wants to play in the league next season, but he isn’t positive it will be for the San Antonio Spurs.

Parker, who has spent all 17 of his NBA seasons playing for the Spurs, wants to play three more seasons in the NBA so he can hit 20 in all and is willing to leaving San Antonio in order to do it.

The 35-year-old, set to be a free agent, earned more than $15 million last year, but only played in 55 games and averaged a mediocre 19.5 minutes, 7.7 points, 3.6 assists and 1.7 rebounds.

Due to Parker’s play, age and questionable health, he was surpassed on the depth chart by Dejounte Murray in January and would likely only be able to return to the Spurs as a backup.

“It is not yet sure that I’ll stay with the Spurs. I am open to all proposals,” Parker said in an interview with France’s RMC Sports. “I would like to make my entire career in San Antonio. The sport remains a business, and we will have to make choices. I have been 17 years with the Spurs. I would always be nostalgic, but it’s not the end of the world if I change my club. I want to stay three more years to do the 20 seasons.”

NBA free agency kicks off on July 1 so Parker and the Spurs do have time to work something out.

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