Less than one week after NBA veteran and three-time champion Danny Green officially announced his retirement, one of his former teammates also followed suit. Former San Antonio Spurs big man Aron Baynes has also announced his retirement from basketball. Baynes and Green were both teammates on the Spurs and won a championship together in 2014.
While Baynes himself has not made an official announcement, agent Daniel Moldovan took to X to congratulate him on his retirement.
The boy from Mareeba! Representing you for your entire career has been the honor of a lifetime. You embody everything we teach young athletes about professionalism, dedication and playing for the name on the front of the jersey, not on the back.
Love you Azza! All the very best… pic.twitter.com/bejepCQA2t
— Daniel Moldovan (@AgentMoldovan) October 16, 2024
2014 San Antonio Spurs Champion Has Retired From Basketball
Aron Baynes’ NBA Career
Baynes last played in the NBA with the Toronto Raptors during the 2020-21 season. In Toronto, the New Zealand native played 53 games for the team, starting 31 of them. On the year, he averaged 6.1 points and 5.2 rebounds. However, before his stop with the Raptors, Baynes enjoyed solid stints with four other teams. These teams also include the Spurs, Detroit Pistons, Boston Celtics, and Phoenix Suns. Though he won a championship with the Spurs, Baynes’ best statistical season happened as a member of the Suns. The big man played in Phoenix during the 2019-20 season. In 42 games, including 28 starts, he averaged 11.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.6 assists. Additionally, he shot 35.1% from beyond the arc. All of these numbers were career highs for Baynes.
From 2012 to 2021, Baynes enjoyed a solid NBA career. While he was never an All-Star-caliber player, the Washington State alum still provided a lot of good basketball everywhere he went. He always developed his game, becoming a decent three-point shooter by the end of his career. Additionally, he was a fan favorite who provided value on the court in any role.
For his career, Baynes played in 522 NBA games and started 168 of them. In those games, he averaged 6 points and 4.6 rebounds. Additionally, he played alongside some of the game’s greatest players. This includes Tim Duncan, Kawhi Leonard, Jayson Tatum, and for one game, Tracy McGrady, just to name a few.
Aron Baynes Was Open to Continuing His Playing Career Overseas
For the past few years, Baynes played for the Brisbane Bullets of the NBL. However, the soon-to-be 38-year-old was unsigned heading into the 2024-25 campaign. Regardless, Baynes was open to continuing his playing career, saying he was “not labelling anything.”
“I’m not labelling anything,” Baynes told ESPN on Thursday.”My body feels good. I love playing the game. It’s just, right now, I’m focused on my family and being there with my kids. Just being dad right now. Just enjoying not having to be anywhere at any particular time, apart from school drop off and school pickup.
With the newest development, it is clear that Baynes opted to retire instead. Whether it was due to being unable to receive contracts or it was purely his decision is unknown. Nonetheless, Baynes had a long and successful playing career, earning an NBA championship and participating in the Olympics multiple times.
