Jason Richardson announces his retirement
NBA veteran Jason Richardson announced his retirement from the NBA after 14 years, including two with the Orlando Magic.
Jason Richardson could put up points in a hurry. The Milwaukee Bucks found that out the hard way.
In a 2012 game, Richardson hit 9 of 11 3-pointers, many in the fourth quarter, on his way to 31 points as the Magic defeated the Bucks 99-94 in Milwaukee. For a team that still had title aspirations (if no longer ability) in a season that was marred by Dwight Howard‘s will-he, won’t-he trade demand, it was a bright spot.
That was what Richardson did in his short season and a half in Orlando. He found a way to brighten things up a bit.
He would drain a ton of big shots — like that scoring binge in Milwaukee or his four-point play against the 76ers in a truly classic late-game win in Amway Center’s inaugural year.
He would bring out that athleticism that won him two dunk contests and throw down an alley-oop on a quick hop. Even as he seemed to slow down some that never left him.
Richardson’s time in Orlando was not always great. It was not all highlights. It was a lot of turmoil and disappointment. Richardson was part of the trade that might ultimately have brought down the Magic’s championship window and pushed Dwight Howard out the door.
That was out of his control. When he was with Orlando, he played hard and played with a smile. That should be what fans remember of him.
And Richardson’s 14-year NBA career that came to Orlando toward the end officially ended Wednesday. Richardson, after fighting injuries the last two years and playing with the 76ers at the end of last season walked away on his own terms, announcing his retirement on Instagram.
Richardson averaged 12.8 points per game on a 51.2 percent effective field goal percentage in his two seasons with Orlando. The team acquired him from Phoenix in December 2010 along with Hedo Turkoglu, giving up Marcin Gortat, Mickael Pietrus and Vince Carter. It was a move done to save the team and keep them in championship contention.
That move seemed to backfire. Along with the Gilbert Arena-Rashard Lewis trade, the Magic team had completely transformed in the course of one day. They were still good, but no longer great. Even with Dwight Howard at the peak of his powers and putting up a MVP-caliber season.
Orlando fell to Atlanta in the first round of the Playoffs and the dream run had seemingly ended. The Magic re-signed Richardson to a four-year deal the next summer (he and Dwight Howard shared an agent) but the writing was on the wall when Dwight Howard requested a trade before the season.
Richardson still had a solid year. He had several big games, including the ones listed above. He also scored 17 points and hit five 3-pointers, including the go-ahead bucket, in the Magic’s upset win over the Pacers in Game One of the 2011 Playoffs.
The Magic traded him to the 76ers as part of the Dwight Howard trade. From there, knee injuries damaged his career and ultimately led to his retirement. Not without one more attempt at playing. He got that, playing in 19 games last year including one start in Orlando.
Richardson was never spectacular overall. He was asked to be a primary option when he never really was one. He gained notoriety for his performance in dunk contests and athleticism. He transformed himself into a decent defender and shooter from there, phasing into the latter part of his career when the athleticism would go.
Eventually, the injuries caught up to him.
In Orlando, Richardson was a solid player. He did what was asked of him. He was not what the Magic needed to remain title contenders in the end. That may likely color Magic fans’ perception of him and his time with the team.
For NBA fans, Richardson was a solid player. He was someone who provided a lot of great memories. And he made everyone around him happy to see him for those moments we hold onto.