<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">How about he likes playing in the NBA, and he misses the competition. Why would he have started his last season coming off the bench if all he's interested in is being the star player? </div> I'm sure any player who has spent a 15+ year career in the NBA misses the competition, but when you have reached the stage of your career when you are over 40 and your skills have diminished, you have to face facts. Especially when you've accomplished as much as Michael Jordan. And if he was interested in being a role player in his final year, why did he take the majority of the shots on offense and lead the team in scoring?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting bdubb:</div><div class="quote_post">I'm sure any player who has spent a 15+ year career in the NBA misses the competition, but when you have reached the stage of your career when you are over 40 and your skills have diminished, you have to face facts. Especially when you've accomplished as much as Michael Jordan. And if he was interested in being a role player in his final year, why did he take the majority of the shots on offense and lead the team in scoring?</div> So Malone should retire also, according to that logic, even though he's still capable of posting 14 ppg and 8 rpg type numbers. Just because MJ's abilities aren't what they used to be, that doesn't mean he still can't contribute. He'd still be better than 2/3 of the players in the league at his position if he came back next year. As I said in a previous post, Jordan was forced to be the number one option on that team simply because he was their best player. And other go to players on the team suffered injuries. Everyone knows he's not going to be the best player on the Heat next year, including him I'm sure. If he's really considering making a comeback, I'm sure he knows and has accepted that it would be as a role player.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">If he's really considering making a comeback, I'm sure he knows and has accepted that it would be as a role player.</div> Durvasa you might be right. Maybe he has the intentions on being a role player. But it's hard for me to believe that a legend like Michael Jordan would come to any team an be reduced to being a role player, especially considering all that he has done for basketball. Karl Malone has no choice but to be a role player. The only thing he's playing for is a ring right now. Jordan has 6 rings, about 9 scoring titles, 5 MVPs, and is considered the greatest of all time. Why should he come back and tarnish his legacy and take the chance of being remember as one of those athletes that didn't know when to quit. Also this coming back thing is getting old, the man has retired 4 times!
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting bdubb:</div><div class="quote_post">Durvasa you might be right. Maybe he has the intentions on being a role player. But it's hard for me to believe that a legend like Michael Jordan would come to any team an be reduced to being a role player, especially considering all that he has done for basketball. Karl Malone has no choice but to be a role player. The only thing he's playing for is a ring right now. Jordan has 6 rings, about 9 scoring titles, 5 MVPs, and is considered the greatest of all time. Why should he come back and tarnish his legacy and take the chance of being remember as one of those athletes that didn't know when to quit. Also this coming back thing is getting old, the man has retired 4 times!</div> I think there's more to playing sports than winning that first championship or individual glory. And I don't have any problems with retired players wanting to lace up one more time. I figure the league is being inundated with unproven kids every year, it might as well take on a few proven old-timers as well! Anyways, he ain't coming back: http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=1887593
