Sources: Center to call it quits after 12 seasons

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ESPN.com

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<!-- begin text11 div --><!-- begin leftcol --> <!-- template inline --> Dallas Mavericks (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/clubhouse?team=dal) center Shawn Bradley (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?statsId=1273) has informed the team of his intention to retire and is negotiating a buyout of his contract.

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<table align="right" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" vspace="5" hspace="5"> <tbody><tr valign="top"> <td width="8">
</td> <td width="200" bgcolor="#ecece4"> <!---------------------HEADSHOT TABLE STARTS HERE--------------------> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="6"> <tbody><tr valign="top"> <td colspan="2"> Shawn Bradley (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?statsId=1273)
Center
Dallas Mavericks</td> <td rowspan="2" width="65">http://espn.go.com/i/nba/profiles/players/1273.jpg</td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td width="67"> Profile (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?statsId=1273)
</td> <td width="68">
</td> </tr> </tbody></table> <!---------------------HEADSHOT TABLE ENDS HERE--------------------> </td></tr> <tr valign="top"> <td width="8">
</td> <td width="200" bgcolor="#ecece4"> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="4"><tbody><tr><td> <table border="0" width="190" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="1"> <tbody><tr valign="top" align="center" bgcolor="#ae5a00"> <td colspan="6"><center>2004-2005 SEASON STATISTICS</center></td></tr> <tr bgcolor="#bcbcb4" align="right"> <td width="17%">GM</td> <td width="17%">PPG</td> <td width="17%">RPG</td> <td width="17%">APG</td> <td width="17%">FG%</td> <td width="17%">FT%</td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#bcbcb4" align="right"> <td>77</td> <td>2.7</td> <td>2.8</td> <td>0.2</td> <td>.452</td> <td>.683</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td></tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <!---------------------INLINE MINI-PLAYER CARD ENDS HERE----------> Bradley and the Mavericks, according to team sources, are close to finalizing a buyout arrangement. The 33-year-old has three seasons left on his contract at $14.5 million.

It's believed that Bradley, who struggled with knee and hip injuries this season, is leaving the game after 12 years for health and family reasons. He and wife Annette recently had their sixth child.

With Bradley possibly in need of additional surgery, Dallas is expected to forward his case to an independent doctor for review. If Bradley's injuries are determined to be career-ending, the balance of his contract would drop off the Dallas payroll after one season. If the injuries are not deemed career-ending, his contract remains on the Mavericks' cap.

Bradley was the No. 2 pick of the 1993 NBA draft by Philadelphia -->Chris Webber and Penny Hardaway (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?statsId=1274) -- after playing just one season at BYU and spending two years completing a Mormon mission in Australia.

Dallas was the third team that tried and failed to establish the slender Bradley as a franchise player. After two-plus seasons of unmet expectations with the 76ers and two partial seasons with New Jersey, Bradley joined the Mavericks in one of former coach-general manager Don Nelson's first major moves and spent the past 8½ seasons in Dallas.

Bradley's role, though, has gradually diminshed with the Mavs. After preseason knee surgery, Bradley averaged career lows in points per game (2.7) and blocks per game (0.8) in 2004-05 and appeared in just seven of Dallas' 13 playoff games under new coach Avery Johnson, for a total of 27 minutes.

Bradley will retire with career averages of 8.1 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.5 blocks, having led the league in blocked shots twice.


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Bout time

But I posted this cause, what the hell? Read where it says Chris Webber and penny Hardaway. That doesn't even make sense. Stupid ESPN

About time is right.

ET phones home

HOF? He led the NBA in blocked shots twice. I'd say he's a shoe-in.

I think it's supposed to read "Bradley was the second selection in the 1993 NBA draft, taken before (between?) Chris Webber and Penny Hardaway."

In other NBA news, ESPN says the Suns and Knicks are discussing Quentin Richardson and a first rounder for Kurt Thomas. Doesn't make much sense to me from a Phoenix perspective, unless it's all about cap space. And I guess a Phoenix first rounder is pretty much worthless anyway these days.

One could make the argument that Chris Webber and Penny Hardaway were both the #1 pick.

I wonder if Bradley will ever give back all that money he stole...

Shawn Bradley or Manute Bol: Who was the better player?

"He and wife Annette recently had their sixth child."


Does this mean come 15-20 years from now, there will be a whole slew of big white stiffs in the NBA/WNBA with the same last name?

Jon Koncak, eat your heart out.

Thank the Lord!!!! THANK THE LORD!!

Next stop - Chan Ho Park!!!

So, would that extra year of school really have helped Bradley?

man, I bet now that he retires he really lets himself go and gains weight

Am I the only person who thinks that this guy can still play?

http://www.translexis.demon.co.uk/images/Stick%20Figure%208.gif

I remember after he got drafted Philadelphia was desperate for him to gain weight. They had him on some ridiculous diet, force fed him cheesesteak sandwiches and anything else they could get down his throat.

Finally. One of the worse players I've ever seen on a basketball court.

Did anyone see the montage of him they did on ESPN, every single clip was him getting dunked and posterized by different players. Good stuff.

Still one of the greatest centers in basketball histoire.

Negotiating a buyout of his contract? If he wants to retire, why the hell do the Mavericks have to pay anything?