Every year there are a few NBA players who are past their prime and should call it quits to save their legacy and make room for the new guns. No better time to permanently pack up the sneakers than a lockout.
This article isn’t meant to be mean, but realistic. These players have done their thing in the past, but their 15 minutes or 10 plus years in the NBA is up.
Here is the 2011 list of players who should be called ex-players.
After 17 years in the NBA, Jason Kidd won his first championship with the Dallas Mavericks in 2011. Go out on top unlike other legends before you.
1) Jason Kidd
I have been a huge J-Kidd supporter since his rookie year with the Dallas Mavericks. I was a little 10-year old hooper who wanted to be just like him. Honestly, I’d still like to be him, especially with his newly acquired title, NBA champion, on his resume.
It doesn’t how much of a great ball player he was, father time has caught up with the 38-year old. He has been in the league 17 seasons and continues to decrease in production season after season. The legend known as Jason Kidd should do what other hoops legends such as Michael Jordan and Larry Bird couldn’t do…go out on top.
2) Tracy McGrady
Once a top star in the league, T-Mac has fallen beneath the cracks in the hardwood. He has been a no-brainer for this annual list for the past three and a half seasons because he can’t stay healthy.
The natural born scorer went from 21.6 ppg in the 2007-08 season, to 15.6 ppg in 08-09 to a horrendous 8.2 ppg in 30 games with the Houston Rockets and the New York Knicks. With that said, McGrady is the definition of washed up.
3) Derek Fisher
If Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers want to return to the NBA Finals they have to address the point guard position because Fisher is O.V…over.
Even though Kidd is No. 1 on this list, basically because I want him to go out on top, he beat Fisher in the playoffs in almost every statistic and looked better than him in game play. He can’t keep up with the younger guards on defense and is too easy to guard for opposing defenses. As long as he doesn’t get open looks, he has nothing to offer.
4) The Miami old and useless Three: Erick Dampier, Mike Bibby, Zydrunas Ilgauskas
The Miami Heat have the new big three in LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. At the same time, they have the old and useless three of Erick Dampier, Mike Bibby and Zydrunas Ilgauskas. These guys need to go if the Heat want to bring the NBA trophy to South Beach.
Dampier and Ilgauskas were no where to be seen in the playoffs. In the NBA Finals they were both replaced with old school Fab Five member Juwan Howard. Neither one of these guys can play anymore, at all.
Bibby can play a little bit, but not good enough to keep on a roster. He never played defense to begin with and is worse than ever, if it’s possible, since he lost a step or five. Plus, his shooting has become inconsistent to say the least; look at his shooting percentages in this season’s playoffs…28% from the field, 25% from three-point range and 50% from the free throw line.
He started all 20 playoff games. The Heat have three great players but they need better production from role players if they think they’re going to win. Bibby isn’t the answer for Miami or any other team.
5) Tim Duncan
The savior in San Antonio can still put up numbers, no doubt about it. The problem is, he looks like he is going to break one of his knees every time he jumps. The 35-year old is a 14-year NBA veteran who has conquered everything he can. He has four rings, three Finals MVPs, two season MVPs and is a 13 time NBA All-Star.
It would be legitimate for him to stay around if the Spurs could win another championship with him on the team. But, if they were going to win a ring with the current roster, they would have had a parade in San Antonio not Dallas. This was the year.
However, Duncan and company wore out towards the end. Duncan should back out while he can still walk normal. He’s had a great career, but all good things must come to an end. Hopefully he pulls out while he’s still producing instead of a shell of himself.
NOTABLE MENTION: Marcus Banks, Tony Battie, Marcus Camby, Jamaal Magloire, Theo Ratliff