{"id":765,"date":"2024-10-24T22:00:56","date_gmt":"2024-10-25T02:00:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.red94.net\/news\/time-to-hang-up-the-cleats-telling-athletes-when-to-retire\/"},"modified":"2024-10-24T22:00:58","modified_gmt":"2024-10-25T02:00:58","slug":"time-to-hang-up-the-cleats-telling-athletes-when-to-retire","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.red94.net\/news\/time-to-hang-up-the-cleats-telling-athletes-when-to-retire\/","title":{"rendered":"Time to Hang Up the Cleats? Telling Athletes When to Retire"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Kawhi Leonard, the forward for the Los Angeles Clippers, is indefinitely sidelined due to knee inflammation. This news isn’t shocking to many as Leonard has been unable to play in 274 regular season games since he was 26 in 2017, casting him as one of the greatest “what could have been” stories of his era. It’s unfortunate that fans have missed out on potentially witnessing a stellar career, and instead, often feel that there’s always an issue with Leonard that prevents him from reaching his full potential.<\/p>\n

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Despite his frequent absences, Leonard has remained a significant force when available, placing in the top 10 of NBA MVP voting in five out of the six full seasons he has completed. Even with numerous setbacks last year, he performed impressively enough to secure a spot on the Second Team All-NBA.<\/p>\n

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Kendrick Perkins was the first to speak up on Thursday, suggesting that Leonard should meet with his team and family to consider whether it’s time to retire. This implies that Leonard hasn’t yet thought about ending his career, which might not be the case.<\/p>\n

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“I really think Kawhi Leonard should consider retiring”<\/p>\n

– Kendrick Perkins <\/p>\n

(h\/t @ohnohedidnt24<\/a> ) <\/p>\n

pic.twitter.com\/erncG1wKEf<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) October 17, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n

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Emmanuel Acho made an even stronger statement on Friday’s episode of The Facility,<\/em> advising Leonard to retire to preserve his legacy and the memories fans hold of him.<\/p>\n

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.@EmmanuelAcho<\/a> tells Kawhi Leonard it\u2019s time to retire:<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re diminishing your legacy, memories and everything we knew about you.\u201d pic.twitter.com\/SETfI8ZHMW<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 The Facility (@TheFacilityFS1) October 18, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n

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Leonard might soon choose to retire, possibly refusing further surgeries and opting to end his career. However, the recent trend of publicly suggesting athletes retire seems a bit presumptuous. While it’s understandable in cases like Tua Tagovailoa, where significant health risks are involved, Leonard’s situation doesn’t pose the same dire consequences.<\/p>\n

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This trend feels relatively new and somewhat unsettling.<\/p>\n

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Moreover, urging Leonard to retire now seems premature. Why not wait to see if he can return to the court this season? The Clippers still have a chance to impact the playoffs, and there’s plenty of time before the season starts. Retiring without exploring recovery options would be peculiar, especially when he could still be evaluating his future while drawing a salary.<\/p>\n

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NBA Updates<\/h2>\n

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