Recently, there was news Real Madrid would make a contract offer to Manu Ginobili this summer when his current contract with the Spurs is over. However, Ginobili's agent, Herb Rudoy, flatly said Ginobili does not have any desire to play with Real Madrid and wants to remain in the NBA.

Good news but it still left the question with Spurs fans, "Will the Spurs resign Manu?"

According to Critica de la Argentina, it appears Spurs General Manager, R.C. Buford, has had some contract discussions with Ginobili and will continue discussions, when Buford returns from a trip in Europe.

Las negociaciones para la renovación del contrato entre el argentino y los Spurs continuarán en cuanto R.C. Buford, manager general de la franquicia, regrese de su viaje por Europa.

With Ginobili playing well of late, resigning Ginobili is a "no brainer." He is proving he still can be a major contributor for the Spurs. Plus, not resigning Ginobili would put the Spurs at risk of him signing with a top Western Conference team. That would not be good!

If what was reported is correct, then it leaves the next question for Spurs fans, "For how long and for how much?"

Puzzles come in a variety of shapes and sizes. There's the standard jigsaw puzzle, which can have anywhere from five to 1000 pieces. Word Puzzles, like crosswords or anagrams, test ones knowledge of vocabulary and challenges you to discover new properties of your language. Then there's the number one selling puzzle of all time, the Rubik's Cube, which is one of the most mentally challenging puzzles around.

However, not all puzzles can be bought off the shelf at Toys'R'Us. Puzzles are all around us. A mechanic putting together a new transmission, or an architect designing a new sky scraper, are all putting pieces together to construct a finished product. Both are, in one way or another, fitting pieces together to finish their puzzles.

One puzzle you can't buy in a store, and is definitely harder then a Rubik's Cube, is the San Antonio Spurs. Thankfully for Spurs fans, it seems like Gregg Popovich has completed a couple Rubik's Cubes in his day.

The Spurs opened the season with five new players added to their roster. Out were former Spurs staples Bruce Bowen and Fabricio Oberto, as well as Tony Parker's back up Jacque Vaughn and Kurt Thomas. In were Richard Jefferson, the veterans Theo Ratliff, Antonio McDyess and Keith Bogans, and Pittsburg rookie DeJuan Blair. In comparison to the Spurs roster, your nieces Dora the Explorer jigsaw puzzle seems like a Rubik's Cube.

Nonetheless, expectations were extremely high at the beginning of the season and rightfully so. On paper, this was and still is one of the most talented squads in the league. But no matter how talented a team may be, without the proper rotation, the chances of competing for a championship are slim to none. Pop had his work cut out for him.

But before the season even started, the injury bug reared its ugly head. Tony Parker, Pop's on-court voice, sprained his ankle playing over seas for France. Parker was able to play in the first five games, but missed the next three.

The rest of the Spurs roster also fell victim to the injury bug. McDyess missed four games with a variety of injuries. Also, Matt Bonner missed 17 games with a broken hand. Manu Ginobili missed time with a strained groin, and Micheal Finley missed almost two months with an ankle injury. The Spurs have dealt with so many injuries, they seem more like a skateboard team at the X games then an NBA team.

To make matters worse, Pop has had to deal with players demanding trades, and asking for more playing time. Roger Mason asked to be traded before the trade deadline because of lack of playing time, while Micheal Finley basically forced his way out of a Silver and Black jersey and into a Green one.

But through all the early struggles, player complaints, injuries, and with a seemingly ever changing starting line-up, Pop has been able to keep his team focused and well above .500. As of late, the Spurs have hit a nice stride winning 10 out of their last 14. Even though they are still struggling against teams over .500, they are 17-24 versus teams over .500, they seem confident, and can hopefully make a nice run come April.

Pop has taken a lot of criticism this season for the Spurs lackluster performance. But Pop should get more recognition for what he's been able to accomplish. Every time a player is injured, which seems like all the time, he's been able to make adjustments that help keep the Spurs in play-off contention. The fact that he's been able to overcome so many roster changes, and still keep the Spurs on the winning track, makes me believe that Pop could be a candidate for coach of the year.

I know what some of you are saying, "Coach of the Year?!?! You've got to be kidding me!" And I understand. I don't think he's going to win coach of the year, I believe that award should go to Scott Brooks of the Oklahoma City Thunder for the incredible job he's done with such a young team, but I do think he should get a little more credit for the job he's been able to do.

This season Pop has been trying to put all the right pieces together to build his championship Rubik's Cube. But with all the injuries he's dealt with, and players demanding trades, it's like someone taking out all the green squares of the cube, and trust me, you can't finish a Rubik's Cube without the green squares. Yet Pop still finds new pieces to add to his puzzle by adding players like Malik Hairston to the roster. Hairston, when given enough minutes, has shown he's able to produce. In 29 minutes against the Warriors, Hairston finished with 16 points, going seven of nine from the field.

Popovich has dealt with an assortment of problems this season. His coaching has been in question all year and many blame him for the Spurs inconsistencies. But if there's one thing we Spurs purist know, it's never question Pop. He always finds a way to get the most from his players and come April and May, I have no doubt Pop will succeed in putting this cube together. I just hope this Rubik's Cube has championship gold as one of its colors.

Seems the regular season is not completely over for Tony Parker. After suffering a broken right hand which has forced him to miss the past 10 games, Parker seems to be recovering faster than expected.  In fact, Coach Pop is saying Parker will be back on the court immediately once he is cleared to play. 

Here are Pop's comments (via the San Antonio Express News) on Parker and his possible early return to action prior to last night's game against the Los Angeles Lakers.

“He can shoot free throws now,” Popovich said before Wednesday's game. “He can't catch or dribble. But somewhere around two or three games before the end of the regular season to a couple of games into the playoffs, somewhere in that span, he will get cleared.

“He is healing quickly, according to the docs, so if he gets cleared to play and it's still the regular season, he will play.”

Personally I say no unless it's a few games to get him back into game shape. Plus, he has been injury-prone this season, why risk more injury before the playoffs? Also, George Hill has been showing he can fill in nicely at the starting point-guard position.

The long-term benefits outweigh the short-term benefits. A fully healthy Parker is more important heading into the playoffs.

On this week's episode of the Spurscast, which was live after last night's game, Michael and Jeff discuss yet another loss to a quality team.

After breaking down the game quarter-by-quarter, which was truly a game of two halves, we discussed the final stats, gave out a shiny and rusty spur, put an unexpected player on the hot seat for Friday's game against the Cavs.

We also took your calls and were lucky enough to bring in Daniel Artestand Rey Moralde of The No Look Pass for interviews.

Our next live show will be next week, celebrating our 200th show and you won't want to miss that. And don't forget, we'll provide plenty of coverage from Boston and New Jersey this weekend.

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The Spurs announced today that they've signed point guard Curtis Jerrells, calling him up from the Austin Toros.

Spurs fans and Project Spurs readers should be familiar with Jerrells. The Baylor grad was signed to the training camp roster and was one of the final cuts prior to the start of the regular season.

While he impressed in training camp and in preseason action, the Spurs only had so many spots open.

When Cedric Jackson and Garrett Temple were signed recently, some questioned why the Spurs didn't go into their own backyard to sign Jerrells, who's been a two-time D-League performer of the week with the Toros.

Jerrells has averaged 20.7 points, 5.6 assists and 4.6 rebounds on a very talented Toros team.

"Jerrells was quick, attacked the basket and would have been a better fit if the Spurs decided to keep a third string point guard," I wrote when Jerrells was waived in late October. "But whether Williams was here or not, Jerrells didn't have much of a chance to make the roster after the Spurs signed Keith Bogans before training camp."

Earlier today, Sham Sports wrote about Jerrels in a "Where Are They Now" post.

Jerrells never really had much of a chance of making the Spurs roster, which therefore meant that they spent $150,000 (after tax) on a player that they knew wouldn't play for them. The reason for this is obvious; it is not in any way coincidental that Jerrells later signed with the D-League and was immediately assigned to the Spurs affiliate (which they own), the Austin Toros. Essentially, they kept him in house and expanded their roster. They technically had no claim to him, but they had him where they wanted him, and where they had the inside track on his progress and abilities. And that's surely the aim of signing anyone. It's not illicit; it's shrewd. 

However, when the Spurs needed some ten day contract guard help midseason, they instead opted to sign Cedric Jackson and Garrett Temple, not Jerrells. This was a genuine eye opener. All that manipulation of the system to get the player where you wanted for when you wanted, and then you didn't want him. Bizarre.

So what does this signing mean for the Spurs? Likely that Jerrells will end up being sent back down to Austin.

Scott Schroeder from Ridiculous Upside seems to agree.

My assumption is that another NBA team decided they wanted Jerrells, but the Spurs didn't want to lose him, so this whole "we'll pay you a lot more than we have been to keep playing for our D-League team and learning our system" thing occurred.

So Spurs fans, don't expect to see Jerrells in a Spurs jersey for tonight's game, or anytime soon.

For more information on Jerrells, be sure to read his Project Spurs Training Camp Profile, Spurscast #172: Curtis Who, and Schroeder's thoughts on his game with the Toros last night.

Yesterday, it was reported that Real Madrid was to enter the bidding war for Manu Ginobili's services after this season when his current contract with the Spurs is up.

However, just when Spurs fans were thinking the worst and starting to believe Ginobili's chances of resigning with the team were continuing to diminish, comes this good news from Ginobili's agent, Herb Rudoy, via the San Antonio Express News:

Of course, whether Real Madrid is really prepared to make such an offer is also irrelevant. Ginobili's agent, Herb Rudoy, has said that his client has no interest whatsoever in playing anywhere but the NBA next season. Not for all the euros in Europe.

At least Spurs fans do not have to worry about Real Madrid but there is still the issue of whether the team will resign him. Question is for how much and for how long? 

Ginobili has been playing better of late and if you are another NBA team with the cap-space to use this summer, then he is looking well worth any contract offer.

Spurs fan favorite Roger Mason Jr. turned Spurs nation upside down last month when word got out that he requested a trade.

Citing lack of playing time as the reason he wanted to be traded, the Spurs worked with Mason's agent, Mark Bartelstein, to try to trade Mason before the trade deadline. While there was reportedly a lot of interest in Mason, and several rumors involving him going to Chicago, Philadelphia, Memphis and Miami, the trade deadline came and went, and Mason remained in the silver & black.

So how has Mason done since the trade deadline?

While Mason averaged 19 minutes a game before the trade deadline, he has only averaged 17 a game ever since, to go with 4.4 points per game.

While Mason didn't immediately get the minutes he asked for, he has been on the floor for over 20 minutes six times since the deadline, even breaking 30 minutes per in three games.

But have those minutes translated into points?

On February 21 against the Pistons, Mason was on the floor for 31 minutes, but only scored two points. On February 26 against the Rockets, he also played 31 minutes. That time he scored 12 points, but it was on four of 13 from the field and three of nine on three-point attempts. Both games also resulted in losses.

His best game this month came Monday night against the Oklahoma City Thunder. In 33 minutes, he scored 13 points on five of 11 shooting from the field. He also connected on three of seven three-pointers.

If "Minutes" Mason wants to get back in the good graces of Spurs fans, he'll have more games like he did on Monday night. A good start would be tonight, when the Spurs draw Kobe Bryant and the Lakers, a team he is very familiar with. It was only a season ago when Kobe Bryant celebrated a little too early and had to see Mason hit the game winner.

If Mason contributes to a Spurs win tonight, San Antonio will celebrate "Money" Mase, and be closer to forgetting about "Minutes" Mason.