Manu Ginobili, who had surgery on his left ankle in early September, could miss at least two months of the season. Though off crutches and out of a protective boot, he?s still got plenty of rehab, as reported by the Associated Press on Monday.

?It could be a blessing he?s gotten operated on, and (surgeons) went in there and cleaned things out,? coach Gregg Popovich said. ?Had he not hurt it in the Olympics, he probably would have done it 15, 25, 35 games into the season.

?His ankle probably would be in better shape now than it?s been in years.?

The San Antonio Spurs signed first round pick George Hill to a contract on Tuesday, the Associated Press is reporting.

Hill, taken 26th overall in June, averaged 21.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 4.3 assists last season and will help fill out the Spurs backcourt.

"The Spurs are a championship organization," agent Michael Whitaker said. "They told us all along they wanted to get the deal done, they just wanted to use the time to sign free agents. We just took them at their word."

Salim Stoudamire has signed with the Spurs after spending three years with the Hawks, according to Arizona Daily Star.

Stoudamire averaged just 8 points on 17 minutes per game in Atlanta often being slowed by a chronic ankle injury.

He could replace Brent Barry and Robert Horry as San Antonio's three-point specialist.

The Spurs have signed free agents Desmon Farmer, Devin Green, and Darryl Watkins to add to their training camp roster, according to NBA.com.

San Antonio now has seventeen players under contract heading into camp later this month.

Spurs rookie George Hill is excited to learn from the veterans he'll share the court with in San Antonio, according to NBA.com.

"It is a great opportunity to play for the Spurs. You can't be in a better situation than I am in right now," Hill said. "Also, it will be great learning from talented players. They have great vets in Tim Duncan, Jacque Vaughn, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Bruce Bowen. I am ready to come in and take my little war wounds that they are going to give and learn from my whole team, because the bench is good too. I am just ready to learn from everybody."

Hill also admitted that he has always looked up to Tony Parker.

"I looked up to him," Hill said of the point guard. "I always watched him play. I just love his game. I am ready to get behind him and let him teach me the things he does to be successful."

The Spurs are close to signing former Syracuse center Darryl Watkins to a two-year deal, according to Post-Standard.

Reggie Brown of Priority Sports revealed on Wednesday that Watkins would sign the deal with the Spurs within the next few days.

Watkins went undrafted after his senior year but signed with the Kings before the 2007-08 season.

He played nine games with Sacramento before being released. He spent the rest of the season with the Los Angeles D-Fenders and the Iowa Energy of the NBA's Development League.

Manu Ginobili has disclosed that negotiations for a contract extension with the Spurs that had begun before his most recent injury had been postponed.

His agent, Herb Rudoy, confirmed the delay in negotiations for an extension.

?Contract negotiations for an extension have been put off until after the surgery,? Rudoy said. ?The Spurs want to see how he recovers from the surgery.?

Ginobili is to make $9.9 million next season and $10.7 million in 2009-10, the final season on a six-year deal he signed in the summer of 2004.

RealGM Note: Ginobili was ranked 39th in season FIC and therefore deserved to make $11.95 million during the 2007-08 season, giving him a Reina Value of +32%.  His per 40 FIC of 17.5 was second to just Kobe Bryant amongst shooting guards.

The San Antonio Spurs announced that earlier today Manu Ginobili underwent successful arthroscopic surgery to correct a posterior impingement of his left ankle.

The surgery was performed in Los Angeles by Dr. Richard Ferkel.

Ginobili will return to San Antonio on Thursday. He will be in a posterior splint - and on crutches - for three weeks. At the end of the three-week period he will be re-evaluated and begin his rehabilitation process.