Washington Wizards swingman Martell Webster, who is recovering from his third back surgery in four years, told the Washington Post's Jorge Castillo that he thinks he'll retire when his current contract expires at the age of 30:
“I know this game is probably not going to be the healthiest thing for me if I try to stretch it out as much as a possibly can,” Webster told The Washington Post on Thursday. “So I intend to really give everything I got for these last three years of my contract and probably walk away from this game so I can be healthy.”
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“I’ve always wanted to retire young,” Webster said. “I love this game and I respect this game, but I only want to be in it as long as I can be effective and as long as I can feel comfortable.”
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“I can’t keep giving my body that type of stress for very long because it’s going to have residual effects especially after I retire,” Webster said. “So then I was just like, ‘Yo, man, just really think about it. You’re going to give it your all this last contract and see how you feel. I’m not putting that I’m going to retire, but the thought has crept in and has sustained in my memory. It still is, to this day, a very, very great possibility.”
If Webster does step away at that time, it'll mean he's had a 12-year run in the NBA. He came into the league straight out of high school in 2005, and developed into a lockdown defender and reliable 3-point shooter. The back issues, though, have changed the course of his career.
Webster averaged 9.7 points and 2.8 rebounds in 27.7 minutes per game last season for Washington, suiting up in 78 regular-season games and playing through back pain in the playoffs. When he underwent his latest surgery to repair a herniated disk in late June, the team said he would be out for three to five months.
