PJ Tucker is recognized in the league for three key attributes: being a journeyman, a sharpshooter, and a sneaker enthusiast. Now, another title suits him well—veteran—since joining Tyronn Lue’s Los Angeles Clippers. After spending years alongside stars like James Harden, Kawhi Leonard, and Paul George, questions about his retirement are becoming more relevant.
Tucker is currently the fourth-oldest player in the NBA, behind only LeBron James, Chris Paul, and Taj Gibson. Naturally, speculation about his retirement is growing. However, Tucker insists he still has more to give while playing for Tyronn Lue and with Kawhi Leonard, as he shared in a recent SiriusXM NBA radio interview.
“Honestly, I don’t know. I’m going to let my body tell me. I’ve worked hard to stay healthy throughout my career, and I still feel pretty good. I’m just letting it play out. When my body says it’s time, I’ll know. A lot of the guys I used to play with retired too early and tried to come back. I don’t want to be one of those guys. When I’m done, I want to be truly done. I’m going to make sure I leave it all on the court,” Tucker explained.
In his latest stint with the Clippers, Tucker appeared in 31 games, hitting 37.1% of his three-pointers and helping stretch the floor for Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and James Harden, despite his age.
Interestingly, Tucker’s heart was set on retiring with the Miami Heat, not the Clippers. “Honestly, I didn’t want to leave. I made it clear I wanted to stay, but given their situation and not wanting to be hard-capped, I knew it was a possibility. My family is still there, so I obviously wanted to be there, but it didn’t work out. I thought I was going to retire in Miami. But I don’t blame them at all. I understand they didn’t want to be hard-capped and needed flexibility,” Tucker revealed.
