Unlike last year, there isn’t one “dominant” team when it comes to the top 10 oldest NBA players, with no player starting off the season into the fifth decade in his life, and only one, Steve Nash of the Los Angeles Lakers, crossing the 40 years threshold at some point during the season.
Marcus Camby would have made the top 10, keeping Vince Carter out of it, if it wasn’t for his injury that got him cut from the Houston Rockets, but once he recovers, there’s a very good chance he’ll find a team to help in the playoffs or make them at some point during the season.
Number 10 – Vince Carter, Dallas Mavericks, 36
Born on January 26, 1977, Carter is entering his 16th NBA season and third with the Dallas Mavericks, the fifth NBA franchise he’s ever played for. Carter mostly came off Ā the bench for the Mavs last season (78 games out of 81), averaging 13.4 points and 4.1 rebounds, which was a vast improvement compared to his first season on the team. Carter is an 8-time All-Star, making the last of them in 2007.
Number 9 – Chauncey Billups, Detroit Pistons, 37
Billups, born on September 25, 1976, is making his return to the Pistons after five seasons of wandering around the league. His latest stint was with the Los Angeles Clippers, playing a total of 42 games for the team in two seasons, not getting himself closer to win his second NBA title ring. He has also played for the Nuggets, Knicks, Timberwolves, Raptors and Celtics during his 16-year NBA career, making five All-Star teams. He averaged 8.4 points per game last season for the Clippers.
Number 8 – Antawn Jamison, Los Angeles Clippers, 37
Jamison, born on June 12, 1976, is entering his 16th NBA season after a disappointing single year experience with the Los Angeles Lakers. He will be part of a very deep bench the Clippers have put together heading into next season, adding whatever firepower he has left and his vast experience, which comes from playing with the Warriors, Mavericks, Wizards and Cavaliers over the years. The two-time All Star mostly came off the bench last year (70 of 76 games), averaging 9.4 points.
Number 7 – Kevin Garnett, Brooklyn Nets, 37
After five years with the Boston Celtics Kevin Garnett is off to what might be his last stop on a Hall of Fame career. Born onĀ May 19, 1976, Garnett is entering his 19th NBA season, playing for his third team after long stints with the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Boston Celtics. There’s no doubt that he’s declines in almost every aspect of his game; it’s quite doubtful he’ll be able to stay healthy for an entire season playing major minutes, but his leadership, defense and experience should still play a huge factor for the Nets next season. He averaged 14.8 points and 7.8 rebounds per game last season.
Number 6 – Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs, 37
The four-time NBA champion is entering his 17th NBA season following a disappointing finish to last year’s NBA finals, missing a huge shot in game 7 that was another piece of the falling domino that was the Spurs title challenge. Born onĀ April 25, 1976, Duncan averaged 17.8 points and 9.9 rebounds per game last season, which was somewhat of a Renaissance year for him, avoiding major injuries and looking lighter and fitter than he has in years. Ā The 14-time All Star has played his entire career for the same team.
Number 5 – Andre Miller, Denver Nuggets, 37
Entering his 15th NBA season, Andre Miller can still be a starting point guard for quite a lot of teams around the NBA. Born onĀ March 19, 1976, he played 26.2 minutes a night last season for the Nuggets, averaging 9.6 points and 5.9 assists per game. The Nuggets are one of five NBA teams he has played for, with the rest being Portland, Cleveland, Los Angeles Clippers and Philadelphia. Despite a very consistent career, Miller has never made the All-Star game.
Number 4 – Ray Allen, Miami Heat, 38
Starting off his second season with the Miami Heat, Allen is also entering his 18th NBA season. He hit one of the biggest shots of his career if notĀ theĀ biggest in game 6 of the NBA finals to save the Heat from elimination, turning out being the catalyst for completing the back-to-back achievement. He averaged 10.9 points per game last season, coming off the bench in all 79 games, hitting 41.9% of his three point attempts. Born onĀ July 20, 1975, he’s a 10-time All-Star, and has played for the Celtics, Sonics and Bucks since entering the league in the famous 1996 draft.
Number 3 – Mike James, Chicago Bulls, 38
Another year goes by, and Mike James keeps finding NBA teams to take him on, managing to last through training camp with the Chicago Bulls, a team he played for a bit in the lockout shortened season of 2011-2012. He spent last year with the Mavs (45 games, 6.1 points average). Born onĀ June 23, 1975, James has been in the NBA since 2001, never spending more than two seasons with one team. He has played for Miami, Boston, Detroit, Milwaukee, Houston, Toronto, Minnesota, New Orleans and Washington as well over the last 12 years.
Number 2 – Derek Fisher, Oklahoma City Thunder, 39
Still on his bid to win a sixth NBA championship ring. Born onĀ August 9, 1974, Fisher is kicking off his 18th NBA season, playing most of his career with the Los Angeles Lakers, but also spending time with the Warriors, Jazz and Mavs among others. He averaged 5.3 points per game last season for both the Mavs and the Thunder, ruining something of his good name in the process by leaving the Mavs under false pretense only to sign with the Thunder later on because they had a better shot of winning an NBA title.
Number 1 – Steve Nash, Los Angeles Lakers, 39
Born onĀ February 7, 1974, Nash will turn 40 this season, his second with the Los Angeles Lakers. It’s his 18th NBA season of a career that began in Phoenix and returned there after playing for the Mavs before signing on a contract that doesn’t look too good for the Lakers after what went down last year. Nash is an 8-time All-Star and two time NBA MVP. He played in only 50 games last year, averaging 12.7 points and 6.7 assists per game.