Retiring Roy exuded class in NBA sojourn

Peter Vecsey
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HOOP DU JOUR

Amidst the post-lockout pestilence, Brandon Roy’s “retirement” barely created a buzz outside Portland.

No pomp, just rotten circumstances.

It figures. Roy’s injury-provoked getaway at 27 mirrors his injury-shortened career — deserving of more decibels, but instead blending into the background.

That Roy’s knees did him — and us — no favors by finally giving out was shameful, because it deprived those who cover — and covet — good basketball a chance to see what might have been.

That’s not to suggest Roy’s premature evacuation distantly approaches a category five tragedy, as his $62 million platinum parachute attests. Nor does it insinuate the “get-acquainted offer” wasn’t enticing — five Frail Blazer seasons with per-game averages of 19 points (48 percent field-goal shooting), 4.3 rebounds and 4.7 assists.

AP

BLAZER OF GLORY: Blazers guard Brandon Roy, who announced he would retire due to chronic knee injuries, was one of the class acts of the NBA, says The Post’s Peter Vecsey.

Despite missing 89 games during that span, including 35 a season ago due to cartilage-deficient knees, Roy inarguably was the league’s second best offensive guard behind Kobe Bryant. What’s more, he defended the Black Mamba as well as, if not better than, anyone. Some of their pitched battles were almost worth having to endure TNT’s halftime heathens.

In an age and a league sopping with pretenders steeped in pretension, Roy was pure pleasure to behold. Roy radiated class inbounds and out. A sight for scarred skeptics, the cross-over guard boasted controlled fervor and willowy execution. He’d beat you off one or two dribbles, out-hang-glide-Clyde, and finish at the halo with either hand — even when bone rubbing against bone restricted his mobility.

Roy’s toughness was astonishing. Upon returning from surgery after eight days (I have trouble getting from the driver’s seat to the trunk that fast) he helped Portland win Game 4 of its 2010 first-round playoff series against Phoenix. Last year’s testament to his testosterone occurred in Game 4’s home win over Dallas when he went for 24 points, 18 in the fourth quarter.

At his very best when makes were mandatory, Roy manufactured more ties and wins at crunch time with a minimum of mirth and affected behavior afterward than anyone in the history of the game — except maybe Derek Fisher.

That leaves us off at the Timothy Leary side of this space. Having properly curtsied to Roy, I have an educated sense we might not have seen the last of him, hence the quotation marks around “retirement” in the opening paragraph.

Yesterday the Blazers amnestied his contract ($15.03M salary this season). Understood; it instantly gets them below the luxury tax and removes Roy from their cap. However, by doing so, it also allows under-the-cap teams to bid on him.