Despite not playing an NBA game since 2021, big man Aron Baynes is still interested in continuing his playing career. The Australian native most recently played for the Brisbane Bullets of the NBL. That year, he averaged 7.3 points and 4.3 rebounds per game. Baynes, who turns 38 in December, likely won’t get another chance in the NBA. Moreover, he has yet to sign with another NBL team for the 2024-25 season. However, he has made it clear that he’s not ready to retire just yet.
“I feel good,” Baynes said in a recent interview with ESPN’s Olgun Wolk about potentially continuing his basketball career.
“I’m not making any assumptions,” Baynes told ESPN on Thursday. “I feel good. I love playing the game. But right now I’m just focused on my family and being with my kids. Just being a dad right now. I’m enjoying not having to be somewhere at a certain time, other than dropping them off at school.”
Former Spurs champion interested in continuing
Aron Baynes’ NBA career
Baynes initially entered the 2009 NBA Draft but went undrafted. However, he did not make his NBA debut until 2013, when he joined the San Antonio Spurs. Baynes played in just 16 games in his rookie season, all off the bench, but took on a larger role the following season, starting four of 53 games. Although primarily a reserve player, he helped the Spurs win the 2014 NBA Finals. Baynes played one more season with San Antonio before signing with the Detroit Pistons in 2015.
After two forgettable seasons in Detroit, Baynes signed with the Boston Celtics in 2017. With the Celtics, he was given the biggest role of his career. The big man started 67 games for the Celtics that season, including 12 of the 19 playoff games. Baynes spent one more season with Boston, but in a much smaller role, and the team traded him to the Phoenix Suns in 2019.
Baynes’ only season with Phoenix was the best year of his career. In 42 games in 2019-20, he averaged 11.5 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists. Additionally, he shot 48% from the field and a career-best 35.1% from three-point range. Baynes spent his final NBA season in 2020-21 with the Toronto Raptors.
Baynes averaged six points and 4.6 rebounds per game during his nine-year NBA career.
A final word on Aron Baynes
Baynes is not likely to be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame at all. He was never selected to an All-Star team and has no notable accolades outside of one championship. Still, he is one of the most underrated big men of his era. Baynes regularly evolved his game and became a genuine perimeter threat by the end of his NBA career. Plus, he was a solid player overall who could play any role. It seems possible that he will continue his basketball career. But it seems just as unlikely.
Whatever happens, Baynes seems happy with his basketball career — and, all things considered, he has every right to be happy.