Aron Baynes to play in Australia, hopeful of NBA return

It was a year ago this week when Aron Baynes suffered a freak accident at the Summer Olympics that left him with a career-threatening spinal injury.

Now, the big man is returning to the court with Brian Windhorst reporting that Baynes has signed a two-year deal with the Brisbane Bullets of the NBL. The contract will allow him to leave and play in the NBA.

Aron Baynes will resume his basketball career in a new deal with the Brisbane Bullets of the NBL, @AgentMoldovan tells ESPN. Contract has an NBA out so he can return to league, which has been his goal after grueling recovery from the freak fall at Olympics a year ago this week.

— Brian Windhorst (@WindhorstESPN) July 27, 2022

Baynes, who has played nine seasons in the NBA, was playing with the Australian National Team last July when he fell while running to the locker room. He suffered a spinal injury that kept him hospitalized for two months in Australia and Japan as he had to go through extensive rehabiliation which included him having to re-learn how to walk.

The 35-year-old did have other offers from teams in China and Europe but none of them would have allowed him to leave if he received an NBA offer.

Baynes, 35, had offers from teams in both Europe and China, but those deals wouldn't have allowed an out to return to the NBA, which is his goal after showing his recovery in Australia.