76ers Center Matt Geiger Waived and Announces Retirement PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 21 -- Philadelphia 76ers General Manager Billy King announced that center Matt Geiger was waived Wednesday. Geiger subsequently announced his retirement from the game of basketball due to degenorative arthritis in both knees. “Matt returned this season positive and hopeful that the rest and rehab he obtained this summer would allow him to play this season pain and swelling free,” King said. “As camp began this year, the swelling returned as did the pain. "To Matt’s credit, he did everything possible to try to play. He had to have his knees drained weekly and unfortunately everything that was done for him medically during his stay with the Sixers has been unable to allow him to play.” Geiger, who was playing in his 10th NBA season, was placed on the injured list on Nov. 9 after playing in four games this seasons. The 7-foot-1, 248-pound center had been hampered by right and left knee, and leg problems his last three seasons in Philadelphia. “Matt is no longer able to effectively play professional basketball because of his ongoing knee problems,” 76ers team physician Dr. Jack McPhilemy said. “I can see nothing else in the treatment armamentarium which we can offer to Matt which will come close to ensuring that he will be able to resume playing professional basketball in an normal, pain-free, swelling-free environment. Matt asked if there was anything more that could be done to help his condition, and my answer to him was no.” Geiger originally signed with the Sixers as a free agent on Jan. 21, 1999, and played in all 50 games in the lockout-shortened season. The 31-year-old Salem, Mass., native recorded one of his most productive seasons in 1998-99, averaging 13.5 points and 7.2 rebounds, and helping the 76ers to their first playoff appearance in eight years. In 1999-2000, Geiger missed the first 17 contests due to arthroscopic surgery on his left knee. He finished that season playing in 65 games, starting 20 of them and averaging 9.7 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. In 2000-01, Geiger began the injury-plagued season on the injured list after suffering a left knee injury on the first day of training camp on Oct. 1. He had surgery on Oct. 6 and was activated nine games into the season. He played in just 35 of the next 73 games, missing a total of 43 contests with right and left knee and right quadriceps injuries throughout the season. He had another surgery, this time on his right knee, on Jan. 4. In the playoffs, Geiger played in 12 of the Sixers 23 postseason games, including all five of the NBA Finals games. Geiger began his NBA career as the Miami Heat’s second-round draft choice (42nd overall) of the 1992 NBA Draft. He has averaged 9.2 points and 5.7 rebounds in 552 career games. After three seasons in Miami, Geiger was traded to Charlotte with Glen Rice, Khalid Reeves and a 1996 first-round draft choice for Alonzo Mourning, LeRon Ellis and Pete Myers on Nov. 3, 1995. In 1995-96, his first season as a Hornet, Geiger averaged 11.2 points and 8.4 rebounds per game in 77 contests, his best seasonal average on the boards. In 1996-97, Geiger was limited to playing in 49 games with back trouble, eventually having surgery on Jan. 15, 1997, to repair a herniated disc. He returned to form in 1997-98, his final season in Charlotte, averaging 11.3 points and 6.7 rebounds in 78 games, although he missed the final four regular season games and five playoffs contests with a pulled right hamstring. Geiger completed his college career at Georgia Tech University, playing the 1990-91 and 1991-92 seasons as a Yellow Jacket. He had transferred to Georgia Tech, sitting out the 1989-90 season as a transfer student, after playing two seasons at Auburn in 1987-88 and 1988-89.
