After announcing in December his retirement at season?s end, Nick Van Exel, still just 33, now says he wants to play another year.

?At the end of the day, you have to worry about being healthy for next season,? he says. ?If I were 100 percent, I would go out there and play with no problem. At the same time, I don?t want to go out there and injure myself to where if I have to get another surgery, I know it would be over for me. Hopefully, I can continue to play.?

It was just two seasons ago when Van Exel led the Mavericks into the Western Conference finals and the guard thinks he has some fuel left in the tank.

?I didn?t have no choice,? Van Exel says. ?I can?t go out like this. I still have a lot of passion for the game.?