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Former Wizards center Marcin Gortat retires

Marcin Gortat seemingly spent his whole career telling us about issues on his own teams.

Amid all the melodrama, Gortat had a productive 12-year NBA career, primarily with the Magic, Suns and Wizards.

Now, that career finishes.

Gortat, via Eurohoops:

“It’s time to end my career,” Gortat said in an interview with TVP Info. “I think this is the moment when the year has passed – as I said at the beginning, I give myself a year [off] to see what life will bring me – and it brought me to this decision, that I am going to retire, I’m finishing my professional playing.”

The No. 57 pick in 2005, Gortat is one of the best players ever drafted so late. In the two-round era, it’s him, Manu Ginobili and Isaiah Thomas.

Gortat was never an All-Star, but he was starting center on good Washington teams. The Polish Hammer dunked hard, and he used his size and mobility to defend well.

Gortat started for the Clippers to begin last season. They waived him just after the trade deadline and got better. That put the writing on the wall for Gortat, who turned 36 on Monday.