Former NBA Player Aron Baynes Joins NBL Side in Post-Injury Career Rebound

Aron Baynes of Team Australia at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics
Aron Baynes of Team Australia at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Photo by Pete Dovgan/Speed Media/Shutterstock (12230294c)

Veteran NBA center Aron Baynes has joined Australia’s National Basketball League side Brisbane Bullets, the player’s agent, Daniel Moldovan, revealed to ESPN. The two-year deal includes a provision that will allow Baynes to depart the team and return to the NBA if desired.

This move comes a year after the 35-year-old player suffered a freak fall at the Tokyo Olympics that resulted in the player being hospitalized for months. It was doubtful whether or not Baynes would be able to return to the sport following the serious injury.

The Bullets beat out teams from both Europe and China in the race to sign Baynes. Ultimately, because those teams did not offer an out for him to return to the NBA, Baynes decided to join the Brisbane-based team. With the NBL season ending in February, a return to the NBA could happen sooner than initially expected.

During his nine years playing in the NBA, Baynes’ career highlight came in 2014, when he lifted the NBA Championship with the San Antonio Spurs. His last appearance in the league came for the Toronto Raptors, with the player averaging 6.1 points and 5.2 rebounds in the 2020-21 season.

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