Jermaine O'Neal: 'If I can't say I want to play on July 1, then I'm officially retiring'
Jermaine O'Neal is going to work out twice a week to keep himself ready, but he still may call it a career.
"Come July 1, if I can't say I want to play on July 1 to my agent, then I'm officially retiring and enjoying my family," O'Neal said Wednesday on 103.3 FM's "Friedo and Fitzsimmons," as transcribed by ESPN's Tim McMahon.
O'Neal, who took the first half of the season off, was pursued by the Dallas Mavericks and even worked out for head coach Rick Carlisle recently. On Monday, however, the 18-year veteran announced that he would not be returning to the court this season.
"It had to be right and I wanted to make sure that whatever that commitment was, I could answer that and I could do the things that the team and the fan base expected me to do," O'Neal said Wednesday.
"I just, through the process of six or seven weeks, when it came down to the Mavs or the Warriors or Portland or whoever it may be needing an answer, I just felt like I wasn't doing them any justice because I felt like I wasn't ready to do it."
O'Neal averaged 7.9 points and 5.5 rebounds on 50 percent shooting in 20 minutes per game with the Golden State Warriors last season, providing a solid defensive presence off of the bench.
The six-time All-Star will be 37 by the start of next season.