Miller hints at retirement

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  • Skins4Life
    MVP
    • Jul 2002
    • 2286

    #1

    Miller hints at retirement





    Reggie Miller's 18th NBA season could be his last.

    Miller didn't announce his retirement during the Pacers' media day Monday afternoon at Conseco Fieldhouse. But he gave plenty of hints.

    "If I was a Pacer fan here in Indiana, I would definitely tell them every home game in town to come on down," said Miller, who has the option to extend his contract through 2005-06. "If I was a Pacer fan in another city, I would tell them to check the schedule and see when Indiana comes to town.

    "I'm going to let my body do the talking. I've got two years left, but I'll play it by ear. We'll see about this year and we'll see about the option year."

    Miller's teammates aren't taking any chances. Jermaine O'Neal, who worked out with Miller this summer in Los Angeles, said Miller told him that this season might be his last.

    "It was kind of surprising that he would mention it to me," O'Neal said. "I joke around with him a lot about his age and he usually comes back with something like, 'Yeah, but I'm still playing.' But this summer he said a couple of times that this is his last year, so we have to put him in a great position to win."

    Miller, who turned 39 on Aug. 24, has spent his career with the Pacers.

    But he has no intention of finishing as a bit player, a role he was relegated to the past three seasons as All-Star forwards O'Neal and Ron Artest assumed their respective roles as the Pacers' first and second options on offense.

    Instead, Miller said he plans to revert to the aggressive style that has made him one of the NBA's top scorers, not to mention the face and soul of a franchise.

    "I'm looking to play like I played three or four years ago, especially in terms of the postseason," said Miller, who ranks 14th on the NBA's career scoring list with 24,305 points. "I know I've deferred a lot and obviously, I'm still going to do that to a certain degree . . . but I'm looking to be much more aggressive this year."

    Miller, the Pacers' career scoring leader, averaged 10 points per game last season, his lowest output since he had an identical average as a rookie in 1987-88.

    He and Jamaal Tinsley combined to form the NBA's lowest scoring starting backcourt last season.

    The decline in production prompted plenty of debate about when Miller should retire. That talk intensified in each of the Pacers' past two postseason runs.

    "Only a player knows when it's time to give it up, and there was some speculation last winter whether Reggie was going to come back or not," Pacers president Larry Bird said. "But this is very important to Reggie. He wants to get back to the (NBA) Finals again. And he knows that he has the team that, if it can stay together, can do that."

    Even more important, Bird said, is that Miller be rewarded for not leaving for a quick-fix opportunity to chase a championship elsewhere.

    "Reggie's identity is here in Indianapolis, so when you talk about Reggie Miller you talk about him being a Pacer," said Bird, who played his entire Hall of Fame career in Boston. "It's very important for him to finish his career here and to go out on a good note."

    Thanks to an offseason that didn't include rehabbing injuries, Miller was able to devote himself to improving his conditioning and refining his game.

    He said he did more work than usual this summer because his body allowed it.

    He spent most of the previous summer in a cast, recovering from ankle surgery and never caught up.

    "I was three or four steps behind everyone (in training camp)," Miller said. "The chance to get back to just playing basketball and not go and see trainers all day was nice. I got back to all my routines, running beaches, running hills and playing basketball."

    Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said this season won't be different from any other for Miller, meaning the starting shooting guard will be a focal point for opposing defenses.

    "Reggie's obviously going to be an important guy for us and he's had a great summer working out, preparing," Carlisle said. "There are a lot of things he brings to the table, being an 18-year veteran, that are just very important to us."

    There are still a few roadblocks on the way to the NBA Finals, though, namely the defending champion Pistons and the Shaquille O'Neal-led Miami Heat.

    Yet like last year, and years before, Miller believes the Larry O'Brien Trophy is there for the taking. He didn't speak in sentimental terms, however. Winning a title at age 39, he said, would be no different from winning it at 24.

    "I thought the door was wide open last year," Miller said. "The door has really been wide open the last few years, even when San Antonio was winning their championships.

    "It's whoever gets hot late, whoever has the cohesive unit and plays together as a team."


  • RoyalBoyle78
    Aka."Footballforever"
    • May 2003
    • 23918

    #2
    Re: Miller hints at retirement

    what a suprise, He should have retired 2 years ago.
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    • RoyalBoyle78
      Aka."Footballforever"
      • May 2003
      • 23918

      #3
      Re: Miller hints at retirement

      what a suprise, He should have retired 2 years ago.
      N.Y Mets
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      N.Y Islanders
      Miami Hurricanes


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      • Shaver
        Legend
        • Jul 2002
        • 10148

        #4
        Re: Miller hints at retirement

        His play has "hinted" at retirement since 2001.
        Listen to The Remodeling Clay Podcast!

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        • Shaver
          Legend
          • Jul 2002
          • 10148

          #5
          Re: Miller hints at retirement

          His play has "hinted" at retirement since 2001.
          Listen to The Remodeling Clay Podcast!

          Check out my BLOG - Remodeling Clay

          Follow me on Twitter: @RemodelingClay

          Comment

          • SPTO
            binging
            • Feb 2003
            • 68046

            #6
            Re: Miller hints at retirement

            Sounds like his career will end this year. Reggie's been a great player and I have a feeling he'll have a much better year than last year's numbers. I hope that the Pacers can deliver him a championship but I have doubts about that.
            Member of the Official OS Bills Backers Club

            "Baseball is the most important thing that doesn't matter at all" - Robert B. Parker

            Comment

            • SPTO
              binging
              • Feb 2003
              • 68046

              #7
              Re: Miller hints at retirement

              Sounds like his career will end this year. Reggie's been a great player and I have a feeling he'll have a much better year than last year's numbers. I hope that the Pacers can deliver him a championship but I have doubts about that.
              Member of the Official OS Bills Backers Club

              "Baseball is the most important thing that doesn't matter at all" - Robert B. Parker

              Comment

              • Skins4Life
                MVP
                • Jul 2002
                • 2286

                #8
                Re: Miller hints at retirement

                I really like Reggie (nop surprise) but I do agree he should have retired a few seasons ago. He just isnt what he used to be. With that said, I really hope he plays more of a "support" role this season.

                Clay, thats true, but from what I am hearing from peoples in Indy is that this is really his last season, he isnt coming back next year.

                On a random side not, as soon as I saw Clays name in this thread, I though, "oh ****, this was already posted and now Clay is going to lock it." lol

                Comment

                • Skins4Life
                  MVP
                  • Jul 2002
                  • 2286

                  #9
                  Re: Miller hints at retirement

                  I really like Reggie (nop surprise) but I do agree he should have retired a few seasons ago. He just isnt what he used to be. With that said, I really hope he plays more of a "support" role this season.

                  Clay, thats true, but from what I am hearing from peoples in Indy is that this is really his last season, he isnt coming back next year.

                  On a random side not, as soon as I saw Clays name in this thread, I though, "oh ****, this was already posted and now Clay is going to lock it." lol

                  Comment

                  • nkhera1
                    All Star
                    • Oct 2003
                    • 5913

                    #10
                    Re: Miller hints at retirement

                    who big is miller's contract
                    Just wait till Arsenal moves into Emirates Stadium.

                    Comment

                    • nkhera1
                      All Star
                      • Oct 2003
                      • 5913

                      #11
                      Re: Miller hints at retirement

                      who big is miller's contract
                      Just wait till Arsenal moves into Emirates Stadium.

                      Comment

                      • charles167
                        Banned
                        • Nov 2003
                        • 890

                        #12
                        Re: Miller hints at retirement

                        Originally posted by Clay_OS
                        His play has "hinted" at retirement since 2001.
                        Not cool, Reggie is the man. His style was sweet. Came in the league and defined is own style. Like Kobe, who wants to be the next Mike. Reggie was just Reggie. Gotta respect that.

                        Comment

                        • charles167
                          Banned
                          • Nov 2003
                          • 890

                          #13
                          Re: Miller hints at retirement

                          Originally posted by Clay_OS
                          His play has "hinted" at retirement since 2001.
                          Not cool, Reggie is the man. His style was sweet. Came in the league and defined is own style. Like Kobe, who wants to be the next Mike. Reggie was just Reggie. Gotta respect that.

                          Comment

                          • ExtremeGamer
                            Extra Life 11/3/18
                            • Jul 2002
                            • 35299

                            #14
                            Re: Miller hints at retirement

                            what a suprise, He should have retired 2 years ago.
                            <!-- / message --><!-- sig -->
                            I thought he did retire 2 years ago...

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                            • ExtremeGamer
                              Extra Life 11/3/18
                              • Jul 2002
                              • 35299

                              #15
                              Re: Miller hints at retirement

                              what a suprise, He should have retired 2 years ago.
                              <!-- / message --><!-- sig -->
                              I thought he did retire 2 years ago...

                              Mixer Stream



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