NBA: 5 players who must retire now

What would my life be after basketball? A question many athletes dread to find an answer, in this case NBA players. The struggles of players finding a life they thrive in after basketball is well documented. Hence, it is tough to blame them when they want to extend their career and play as long as possible. However there comes a point when they must give in, understand it’s over and submit themselves to the fact they simply are no help as a player to the organization anymore.They must realise it would be better to end their career on a high than being forced to retire due to waives, trades or no contract offers. Every year, we see these lists which come out on players who should retire based on fitness and performance over the last couple of seasons. So continuing the tradition, here are 5 players who must retire before the beginning of the coming season in October.P.S: Two big and famous names top the list.

#5 Richard Jefferson - Dallas Mavericks

Richard Jefferson is 34 years old and has signed with the revamped Dallas Mavericks franchise this summer. However, this coming season with the franchise would be his fourth consecutive season with a different team after recent campaigns with San Antonio Spurs, Golden State Warriors and Utah Jazz.

Receiving a minimum deal of one year along with the money worth a veteran’s minimum and most probably ending up as the third or fourth back up shooting guard since there are younger, fitter and better players at that position in the roster are tell-tale signs that he must hang up his boots before he spends most of the season warming the benches than spending time on the court.

More than injuries its has been a case of sheer lack of production from Jefferson that has seen him warming the benches or being among those set of players who teams buy to fill up the roster to play garbage minutes during blowout games.

#4 Chauncey Billups - Free Agent

Despite playing for multiple teams in his career, Chauncey Billups was an efficient point guard for most of his career up until an MRI revealed a tear in his Achilles tendon during his stint with the Los Angeles Clippers in 2012. The injury sent his career into a downward spiral, one that never allowed him to settle and regain his rhythm due to various injuries such as a sore back and tendinitis in his left foot.

He returned to Detroit with the Pistons in 2013 after two years with the Clippers, but had nothing but a miserable season to say the least. He averaged 3.8 points in just 19 games played and to make matters worse the Pistons have decided to not pick up the team option on Billups’ contract for the coming season leaving him to be a free agent that no team will be interested in as a player.

#3 Jason Terry - Sacramento Kings

A sixth man of the year award, 2 NBA Finals appearances and one NBA title, Jason Terry definitely spent his best days with the Mavericks in Dallas. However, since his championship with the franchise in 2011, he has spent the last three seasons with three different teams- Mavericks, Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets.

Terry will spend the coming season in his 4th different team jersey for the fourth consecutive season after the Nets shipped him to the Sacramento Kings. His production and playing time has been on the steady decline since the championship victory with the Mavericks.

Going by his performance last couple of seasons and considering his age, it would be sage to assume that Terry is well past his prime. He must bow out of the game gracefully before being forced to leave the league due to no contract offers.

#2 Kevin Garnett - Brooklyn Nets

The last 5 seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves and the first 4 seasons with the Boston Celtics was probably the time that Kevin Garnett looked dominant and sublime in the post. On the contrary any adjective describing a performance below par would be fitting to define how his last season with the Celtics and this past campaign with the Nets went.

Its not just his production anymore, Garnett was required to play shortened minutes each game in order to maintain him in playable condition for the full season. There were mutliple games in the 2013-14 season that he finished the game with either 0 points or 0 rebounds and that is not acceptable from a 7 footer, no matter what the age.

He is a respected face and will be treated that way, but Garnett should know that he has had too many glory moments in his life as an individual to spend a season warming the benches with a team.

#1 Steve Nash - Los Angeles Lakers

A two time league MVP once upon a time, Steve Nash has been good at nothing, but creating a hole in the Los Angeles Lakers’ account books. Over the span of a three year contract, of which two seasons are complete, Nash has played 65 games out of a possible 184, sitting out the rest with a leg injury and later nerve problems in his back which stemmed from the prior leg injury.

In the two seasons contribution to the team, Nash has been paid $27 million which is no doubt an overpayment for the services he provided. Although he has mentioned that the 2014-15 would be his last year, the damage has already been done. During a summer when Lakers should have landed a star alongside Bryant to shoulder the franchise after he retires, they were busy picking up pieces to fill up 12-13 roster spots before training camp begins.

Nash has been blunt in accepting that he hasn’t retired before his contract expired because he needs the money. While arguements could be made for the same about Bryant, the latter’s contribution to the Lakers franchise is way too much to compare. He might as well be fit before the season, but Lakers fans be well prepared for another year of seeing a less efficient Nash with shortened minutes.

Edited by Staff Editor