SAN ANTONIO,TX - APRIL 22: Assistant coach Ettore Messinaof the San Antonio Spurs, filling in for head coach Gregg Popovich who is away after the death of his wife, congratulates Manu Ginobili

San Antonio Spurs legend Manu Ginobili is seriously considering retiring from the NBA after 16 electrifying seasons. Please say it ain’t so, Manu.

So, Manu Ginobili is thinking about hanging up his basketball sneakers after electrifying San Antonio Spurs fans for 16 seasons.

Please say it isn’t so, Manu.

Can you really imagine an NBA world without Ginobili? It would be really hard to try, given that, for over a decade and a half, he has been one of the main cogs for the Spurs, and has provided an endless highlight reel in every NBA venue he has played in.

It would be especially hard for Spurs fans. Ginobili was as a deep second-round draft pick in 1999 and made his NBA debut four years later after finishing an electrifying European career. He became an instant crowd favorite and was one of the anchors of the Spurs historic “Big 3” that dominated the league for a decade. He has also generally embraced the Alamo City as his second home.

Yet, alas, it may be time for Manu to finally call it a career.

Much like Tony Parker, if Ginobili returns to the Spurs for the 17th season, he will have a greatly reduced role within the same system that made him a star. San Antonio has made it clear that they are trying to get younger while staying competitive, and, sadly, that means that the old guard will have to step aside and either take a greatly reduced role or retire.

Parker didn’t retire, but he didn’t want to stay with the Spurs in a mentor role. So, he took his talents to the Charlotte Hornets for a couple of seasons. Manu won’t pull a Parker and bolt, but he probably is strongly considering the fact that he would help the Spurs most by simply stepping aside.

That would be a sad day not only for the Spurs but the NBA as a whole.