Metta World Peace at 34 years old might not be the player he used to be, but the Knicks forward has no intention of retiring soon, telling Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times that he wants his career to continue for five seasons after this one (Twitter link). World Peace is in his 15th year in the league, so he’d make it an even 20 if he sticks for as long as he hopes.
The former Ron Artest is known for his outlandish statements and sense of humor, so it’s hard to take him at his word. Still, he remains a believer in his worth to NBA teams, recently suggesting that if he were traded to the Raptors, as had been rumored, he’d inject the rebuilding Toronto club with a “championship mentality.” World Peace also said he’d signed his two-year deal with the Knicks in hopes of winning a title in his native New York, and he said in September that the Thunder and Clippers were among the teams interested in him before he committed to the Knicks.
The Lakers amnestied World Peace in spite of a 2012/13 season that had been something of a renaissance for him, as he averaged 12.4 points and 5.0 rebounds with a 40.3% field-goal percentage, his best marks in three years. He’s nowhere near those figures this season, and the Knicks are giving him just 15.7 minutes per game, by far the least amount of playing time he’s seen in his career. World Peace has a player option worth about $1.66MM for next season, and it would appear as though he’s likely to exercise it, given his level of play and intention of remaining in the league, though that’s just my speculation.
Sure. I’m sure there will be a spot for him at the Chinese Basketball league.