Milwaukee Bucks: Marvin Williams set to retire, Kyle Korver may follow
By Adam McGee
Following the Milwaukee Bucks’ playoff elimination on Tuesday night, Marvin Williams announced his intention to retire, and Kyle Korver may yet follow.
As the Milwaukee Bucks‘ season came to a shocking and abrupt end against the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Semi-finals over the past week or so, there’s been no denying that the Bucks have looked old.
That was a fact going into the season, with Milwaukee sporting one of the oldest rosters in the entire NBA, but it certainly hit home in a very different way since play resumed in the bubble in Orlando.
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On that front, it was fitting that when players spoke to the media in the aftermath of the Bucks’ Game 5, series-closing loss on Tuesday night, it immediately became clear that it was the end of the road for at least one of Milwaukee’s current squad.
Having joined the team as a free agent after being bought out by the Charlotte Hornets earlier in the season, Marvin Williams joined the Bucks in hope of picking up a championship. That didn’t materialize, but speaking to The Undefeated’s Marc J. Spears, Williams confirmed that he would be calling it a day:
Bucks forward Marvin Williams told @TheUndefeated he is retiring from playing in the NBA after 15 seasons. “I’ve been very blessed. God has been very, very good to me,” Williams said.
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) September 9, 2020
That news didn’t come as a major shock, in spite of the fact that Williams has certainly demonstrated that he still has plenty to offer on the court, as it was very much consistent with his previous comments on his future.
When the Bucks were in Paris earlier in the season, and Williams was there as an opponent with the Hornets, the veteran revealed to Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer that he had given thought to retirement:
"“I’ll be honest with you, I’ve certainly thought about being done,” Williams, the Charlotte Hornets’ power forward, told the Observer on Tuesday.“I feel like that’s where I am right now: I could do it or I could not.”"
Given how the last few months have played out in many respects, it’s understandable that Williams has eventually opted for the decision he has.
It now remains to be seen whether Williams will be the only Buck to bring the curtain down on his playing career, as Kyle Korver also confirmed to Marc J. Spears that he will discuss his own future plans with his family.
Bucks guard Kyle Korver told @TheUndefeated he will talk to his family before deciding on his NBA future. The 39-year-old has played in 17 seasons, made one NBA All-Star appearance and has made 2,450 3-pointers. Korver is now an unrestricted free agent.
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) September 9, 2020
Korver shot 41.8 percent from deep this season, so if the will is still in him to continue, it certainly is possible he could return for his aged 40 campaign. Whether that would be with the Bucks could be a different matter, as Korver is an unrestricted free agent now anyway.
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All in all, Tuesday’s announcement from Williams, and any later announcement that could from Korver, only further added to the sense of anti-climax. This isn’t how anybody expected the Bucks’ season to end, but here we are.