Lakers News: Metta World Peace Does Not Plan To Retire

Trevor Lane
3 Min Read

For the past two seasons, veteran forward Metta World Peace has managed to beat the odds and secure a spot on the Lakers roster, and it appears he may be looking to make it three in a row. Most assume that a young, rebuilding team like the Lakers would prioritize keeping young players, but World Peace has beaten out the likes of Jabari Brown and Anthony Brown the last couple of seasons.

The 37-year-old, who is completing his 17th season in the NBA, has acted as a veteran mentor to players like Julius Randle and Brandon Ingram. Head coach Luke Walton gave World Peace something of a send-off on Tuesday night by starting World Peace against the New Orleans Pelicans in what is expected to be his final appearance at STAPLES Center.

The only problem is that World Peace doesn’t sound like he is ready to hang up the sneakers just yet, per Lakers Reporter Mike Trudell:

While World Peace is certainly beloved in Los Angeles for his eccentric personality and the role that he played in helping the Lakers bring home a championship in 2010, he clearly isn’t the player that he once was. He has only appeared in 23 games so far this season for Los Angeles and is only averaging 5.4 minutes per game.

It’s unknown exactly what the Lakers thoughts are on extending World Peace’s playing career, but Walton’s decision to give him a farewell game of sorts does appear to be telling. World Peace may not agree, but with the Lakers already employing high-priced veteran Luol Deng as a veteran wing and mentor, he does appear to be a bit superfluous.

The Lakers will ultimately determine the fate of World Peace this summer, but if this is it for his career, we certainly thank him for all of the wonderful memories.

Trevor Lane is a longtime NBA and Los Angeles Lakers fan who had the good fortune to grow up during the glory days of the Showtime Lakers, when Magic Johnson, Kareem-Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy, and the rest ruled the Great Western Forum. He has written about basketball, soccer, fantasy sports, MMA, and even pro wrestling over the course of his career, but the spectacle that is the Lakers is his true passion. He made the leap into podcasting for Lakers Nation and provides voice-over analysis for our YouTube channel. With a who's who of stars gracing the Lakers lineup over the years, including Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Shaquille O'Neal, Pau Gasol, and many others, the Lakers always provide plenty to talk about. When he isn't writing or recording, Trevor can be found spending time with his wife and daughter or on the sidelines for one of the youth teams he coaches. Outside of the Lakers, Trevor is a supporter of the LA Galaxy, US Soccer, Dallas Cowboys, and Los Angeles Dodgers. Contact: trevor@mediumlargela.com
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