Duncan and Manu Ginobili were on the brink of retirement, but both players decided to come back after Aldridge agreed to join the Spurs. While Aldridge and Kawhi Leonard will lead the Spurs in the future, Tony Parker is well aware that next season could be San Antonio's last chance at winning a championship while Duncan and Ginobili are still playing.
From an interview Parker did with France 24 English (transcribed by San Antonio Express-News' Dan McCarney):
“It's been an unbelievable summer for us. LaMarcus is going to help us a lot. I'm so happy that Manu and Timmy are back. And so we're going for a last try, a last crack at it to try to win it all.”
Parker isn't trying to add extra pressure on the Spurs for next season. He is just stating the obvious as the careers of both Duncan and Ginobili are clearly winding down. Duncan is still playing at a high level, but it's hard to imagine him playing for two or even three more years. Ginobili, on the hand, has been on a sharp decline and seriously flirted with retirement after last season.
If this is truly the "last crack" for the Spurs while Duncan and Ginobili are playing, then they will have to go through some heavy competition in the West in order to win. But the Spurs have done it before so we shouldn't be surprised if they somehow are able to provide the perfect storybook ending for Duncan and Ginobili by winning the championship next season.
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