Los Angeles Lakers big man Tyson Chandler may be a mere shell of the player he once was, but that does not mean is planning on calling it quits.
After the Lakers were eliminated from playoff contention as a result of a loss to the Brooklyn Nets on Friday night, Chandler said that he is not considering retirement, as he feels he has something left in the tank:
Tyson Chandler talked about the unfortunate injuries that derailed both his and L.A.’s season, but when asked if he’s thought about his future given his years in the league, he said he’s not ready to go out yet: “I feel like I got a lot left.”
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) March 23, 2019
You have to appreciate Chandler's competitive spirit, but I'm not sure anyone other than him believes that he has “a lot left.”
This season, Chandler is averaging just 3.1 points and 5.6 rebounds over 15.9 minutes per game, and while he can still contest shots at the rim due to his length, he is not even remotely close to beginning the defensive deterrent he once was.
The 36-year-old began the 2018-19 campaign with the Phoenix Suns before being waived. He then signed with the Lakers two days later, clearly with the hope of providing Los Angeles some extra depth up front to help in its playoff run.
But Chandler did not provide much of anything for the Lakers, and given the fact that he will be a free agent this summer, his days in Los Angeles are almost surely dwindling.
There will probably be some teams that will express some interest in him this offseason just for his size and rebounding ability alone, but the days of Chandler being an integral part of a contending club's rotation seem to be over.
The big man owns career averages of 8.4 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game.
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