Aron Baynes Retires After 9 NBA Seasons with Celtics, Spurs, More; Won 2014 Title

Joseph Zucker@@JosephZuckerFeatured Columnist IVOctober 16, 2024

Chris Hyde/Getty Images

Former NBA center Aron Baynes retired from the sport Wednesday.

Daniel Moldovan, Baynes’ agent, signaled the 6’10” big man’s farewell on social media.

Bleacher Report @BleacherReportAron Baynes has retired from the NBA after 9 seasons, per @AgentMoldovan

Baynes was a 2014 Champion with the Spurs 🙌 pic.twitter.com/nbWbrD37X0

Baynes spent nine seasons in the NBA across spells with the San Antonio Spurs, Detroit Pistons, Boston Celtics, Phoenix Suns and Toronto Raptors. He last suited up for Toronto in 2020-21.

The 37-year-old was a member of the Spurs in 2013-14, when they went on to beat the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals. He averaged 3.0 points and 2.7 rebounds in the regular season and suited up for 14 of San Antonio’s 23 playoff contests.

Baynes steadily built a reputation as a solid rim protector and physical presence inside, which is how he landed on the Celtics in 2017 as they sought to dethrone LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference. He put up 6.0 points, 6.2 rebounds and 0.6 blocks in 20.5 minutes per contest during the 2018 postseason.

Baynes’ best season came in 2019-20 with the Suns. He poured in 11.5 points per game and shot 35.1 percent from beyond the arc, and he set a personal high in scoring (37 points) in a March 2020 win over the Portland Trail Blazers.

While he was representing Australia in the 2021 Summer Olympics, doctors discovered Baynes was suffering from internal bleeding that as applying pressure to his spinal cord. The injury had briefly left him unable to even walk, let alone play basketball.

He eventually made a full recovery and spent the last two seasons with the Brisbane Bullets in Australia’s NBL before retiring.