Tim Duncan’s retirement this week further ushers out the NBA old timers left who have played in multiple eras. There are still a few left, though, and Rip Hamilton might want parts of the club.
Hamilton, 38, tells CBS Sports that he is training for the next month in preparation for a possible return to the NBA:
“I’m giving myself thirty days where I am really hitting the gym.” Hamilton said. “I’m working on my game. I’m in the weight room. I’m running my two, three miles a day. And I’m trying to see if my body can hold up. If my body can hold up after these thirty days, I will be making a comeback.”
Hamilton had his agent test the waters with several teams who might be interested in taking him on. His goal is simple: to join a team that’s championship ready.
“If I get the opportunity where I can come in and earn my minutes,” Hamilton said. “I think that I will be able to make an impact on someone’s NBA team.”
“I’m actually doing it for [my kids] and for myself, too, to get an opportunity to make one more run at it,” Hamilton said. “And if there’s an opportunity, where I could go out and win another championship, I’m all for it.”
Hamilton was last in the league in 2013 as a member of the Chicago Bulls. In that season he averaged just under 10 points per game, averaging 21 minutes per contest. At his peak, Hamilton was a deadly mid range shooter and one of the elite two guards in the league. He had an exceptional feel for movement, using screens, and getting himself open, which was a key function of the 2004 NBA champion Detroit Pistons.
The Cavs, Warriors, and Spurs are the three teams most equipped to compete for a title. The Warriors have kept their ears open for Ray Allen, but maybe Hamilton emerges as a contingency. Like Allen, Hamilton is known for keeping his body right and having strong conditioning. If he’s able to keep up and contribute in any way, a comeback might be in the cards for him.
