Vince, Manu, Pierce: How each former great can retire gracefully

When a former great says goodbye to the game, everyone roots for them to do it with some dignity, and to leave on their own terms like Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan.

It was a fitting end for Bryant, who was celebrated and paraded around during every stop he made last season. He got to shoot like he was still a superstar, and capped it off with a 60-point exit at Staples Center that was something straight out of Hollywood.

Contrast that to the muted Duncan, who quietly pieced together yet another efficient campaign, led San Antonio to a franchise high in wins, then quietly said goodbye following a failed title run to absolutely zero fanfare.

What fans don't want is the unfortunate Kevin Garnett scenario. The plan was for The Big Ticket to go back home, mentor the young Timberpups, get an emotional send-off at Target Center, then buy the team. But it didn't go down that way, as he suddenly announced his retirement in September to the surprise of even his own teammates.

With another set of icons from the 1990s set to walk away from the game next summer, here's how three future Hall of Famers should approach their final years.

Paul Pierce (No. 10 pick in 1998)

Pierce's 2015-16 campaign is a cautionary tale for aging legends everywhere: players are liable to fall of a cliff without warning. He went from calling the game in Washington to calling it a career next summer following an uninspiring campaign in Los Angeles.

None of that will matter a decade from now. Nobody will remember Pierce's ring-chasing misadventures through Brooklyn, Washington, and Los Angeles. The lasting memory of Pierce will be that of a slightly hunched gunner in the No. 34 Celtics jersey nailing a step-back game-winner from the elbow.

Best-case scenario for retirement: The exit strategy is quick and painless. Pierce will play out his last year with a championship contender, maybe make a clutch basket to help the Clippers make the conference finals.

After he finishes the season, Pierce returns home to retire as a member of the Boston Celtics, but before that, he tears up during his last game at the TD Garden (on Feb. 5) as the Celtics bring out Garnett to speak on Pierce.

Vince Carter (No. 5 pick in 1998)

Vinsanity wants to play another two seasons, but let's be real, Vince Carter will be 40 in January. He still has enough ups to throw down windmills in practice, but his on-court production has fallen off a cliff since 2014. He's ready to go.

Carter has two things left on his to-do list before walking out the door. The first is the ring that's eluded him for 18 years. The second is a little more ambitious: the grizzled vet might take on youngsters half his age in the Slam Dunk Contest. Best of luck to him in both endeavors.

Best-case scenario for retirement: A dozen years after his ignominious exit, there still remains pockets of lingering bitterness among Toronto Raptors fans. But regardless of whose fault it was (neither ownership nor Carter were innocent), it would be best for both sides to bury the hatchet. Carter was the first franchise player the Raptors ever had, and it would be a shame to continue ignoring that painful - but also important - bit of history. For the longest time, Vince was the Raptors.

The dream scenario would be for Carter to somehow return to the Raptors, either by retiring with the team or by coming home to Toronto as an in-season veteran addition. He would have to make a few apologetic remarks to pave the transition, but fans in Toronto (especially the younger ones who missed his heyday) would be thrilled to see Air Canada return home.

Manu Ginobili (No. 57 pick in 1999)

With his wiry frame and herky-jerky style, Manu Ginobili could probably play another three or four years in Gregg Popovich's system. He takes excellent care of his body and hasn't once posted a PER below league average.

He's not getting $14 million this season out of charity - Ginobili is still worth that.

But being merely capable and not spectacular isn't Ginobili's style. The Argentinian legend is as competitive as they come, and having won at every level (in Europe, in the NBA, in the Olympics), Ginobili has nothing left to prove and nothing left to chase.

Best-case scenario for retirement: Unlike Pierce or Carter, Ginobili's team actually has a somewhat-realistic chance of winning the title. Yes, beating the Golden State Warriors will be hard, but the Spurs are better equipped for the upset than any other team lacking LeBron James.

Ginobili could add a fifth ring to his trophy chest and truly finish on top before driving off into the sunset in his minivan (yes, Ginobili drives a minivan). He would then return to Argentina, where he is deified, and live out a life of adventure tourism with former teammates Boris Diaw and Patty Mills.