Could the Husky legend be planning an NBA comeback after retirement only a year ago? His chronic knee injuries forced him to to hang up his shoes and call it quits but now it seems that he’s considering a return to the NBA.
In a tweet sent through former Husky, and good friend, Will Conroy’s account he said..
"“Yes, I’m preparing for a comeback. I’m training daily. I’m preparing for a return next year. I appreciate the love. Hopefully I’ll be back on the floor soon. Health is good.”"
A year off may have been just what the 27 year old needed. We all know what Brandon Roy can do. The former All-Star is a scoring machine when healthy and can be an incredibly valuable piece to an NBA contender coming off of the bench. Roy is also played in the Jamal Crawford Pro-Am this weekend. The question that remains is how will his knees hold up?
While Roy hasn’t confirmed that he is considering any unique healing strategies, there are rumors that he may be considering stem cell therapy to help regrow the cartilage in his knee which has been his biggest issue in staying healthy. His knee issues began in high school and many thought that he wouldn’t even make it through college let alone a full NBA career. With other stars like Kobe getting their own treatments to extend their careers, it’s not absurd to think that Roy could do the same.
It is good to note that technically Roy didn’t officially retire from the Blazers last year. They used the amnesty clause to remove Roy’s contract from their salary cap which let Roy keep the money remaining on his contract. If he would have retired, he would of had to give a large portion of the remaining balance on the table. In turn, this means that Roy can not return to the Blazers until 2014/15 while also allowing him to join another team for the 2012/13 season.
Was this always the plan for Roy? If it was, it’s a pretty brilliant one. He made all of the money on his max contract while also giving himself a year-long rest before joining a contender. It seems like his UW education may be paying off. Bow Down.