Ex-Celtics Center Retires from NBA after 9 Seasons..

Aron Baynes announced his official retirement from the NBA on Wednesday.

His agent, Daniel Moldovan, shared a heartfelt message on social media, saying, “The boy from Mareeba! Representing you throughout your career has been the honor of a lifetime. You exemplify the values we instill in young athletes: professionalism, dedication, and playing for the team rather than individual glory. Love you, Azza! Wishing you the best in retirement.”

Baynes played for nine seasons in the NBA, including stints with the Boston Celtics, San Antonio Spurs, Detroit Pistons, Phoenix Suns, and Toronto Raptors. The 6’10” center hasn’t appeared in an NBA game since the 2020-21 season.

Baynes’ career was interrupted by a spinal cord injury during the 2021 Tokyo Olympics while playing for Australia. Two severe falls left him temporarily unable to walk, with an MRI revealing internal bleeding putting pressure on his spine. After making a full recovery, Baynes resumed playing for the Brisbane Bullets in Australia’s NBL for the last two seasons.

Baynes was a key contributor to the Celtics’ run to the Eastern Conference Finals in the 2017-18 season, averaging 5.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 0.6 blocks over two years with Boston. A 2013-14 NBA champion with the Spurs, Baynes ends his NBA career with 522 games played.