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For any NBA franchise, signing a star player who is on the rise or in their prime is a dream come true. While a player is in his mid-to-late 20s, that timetable becomes an opportune moment for teams to either extend a massive contract — possibly to a blossoming star coming off a rookie extension — or make a big splash on a known-star in free agency. Whatever fortune that player brings to the franchise in his respected prime is different from one team to another. Yet one thing that can be agreed upon for any team is that keeping a player around well past his prime demands reconsideration.
Once an NBA player gets into his early 30s, the inevitable questions began to swirl of their remaining time as a face of a franchise. That's in part due to their aging which can bring about injury prone issues as the years progress. Sometimes signing a player that's even 29 to a max deal can come with potential problems down the line.
There are obviously a few exceptions to the case. Some NBA stars– such as Kyrie Irving that've been injury riddled their entire career– will likely remain a surefire talent until they retire. In those instances with players of his caliber, talent will always outweigh health concerns with a front office.
For the stars of the NBA that don't possess that particular pleasure, front offices must always play it smart when it comes time to move on. Here are a few stars of the league that should be moved on from before it's too late.
5. Blake Griffin (31 years old)
There was nothing particularly savvy about Griffin's NBA contract when the Los Angeles Clippers rolled out the red carpet and signed him to a $171 million deal. Their saving grace was knowing to ship the athletic big off to the Detroit Pistons less than a year after signing him to such a lucrative deal.
While knees are arguably one of the most important parts of an athlete's body, they become critical when discussing an agile big such as Griffin. That exact belief plays against the Oklahoma Sooners standout. In just two years, Griffin has had two procedures done on his left knee, which has sidelined him quite often. He only played 18 games last season, which should normally stir a bit of worry for the Pistons front office.
Griffin can possibly still post the stats NBA fans have grown accustomed to seeing from the bouncing forward throughout his career. Just the year prior during the 2018-19 season, Griffin averaged 24.5 points along with 7.5 rebounds and 5.4 assists, proving that he's capable of being offense-oriented on any given night.
4. Rudy Gobert (28 years old)
Gobert is another talented big going into the final year of his contract. While he's certainly more talented and mobile than other NBA bigs such as Andre Drummond, his ceiling with the Jazz may have hit his peak. The 7'1″ center was a first-time All-Star this past season, averaging 15.1 points and 13.5 rebounds per game. His talents would become immediately desired should the Jazz make him available.
At 28, Gobert will surely sign another four-year deal with the Jazz if they're able to come to terms on a new deal. That brings him into the early 30 range in terms of age with his new contract, which is a sore spot when speaking about NBA bigs. Utah also hasn't found much success with the the Gobert-Donovan Mitchell duo, which could lead to more offseason transactions.
If the Jazz plan on making Mitchell the face of their franchise for the foreseeable future, Gobert could become a moveable target for a younger piece this offseason or by the NBA trade deadline at the latest.
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3. Kemba Walker (30 years old)
While Walker did just sign his deal with the Celtics back in 2019, the time to move on from the UConn standout may be coming to its climax. Walker was brought in to be a fundamental piece at the benefit of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown as they continue their development into future stars. He's certainly provided a morale boost given the debacle that surrounded the Kyrie Irving-led Celtics last season, but his sustainment in being able to play for long stretches of games has become questionable after the 2020 playoffs.
Walker's knees became a huge hindrance this year, which became apparent after he was listed on minutes restriction while coming back in the NBA Disney bubble. General manager Danny Ainge was adamant that Walker's knee swelling played a part in his lack of explosiveness in the postseason, but who's to say that it couldn't just be a result of natural aging? With a short frame, Walker has had to rely on his quickness for all of his career, which could've lead to the deterioration of his knees over time.
The four-time All-Star could still provide a huge boost for another contending NBA team with superstar veterans in need of a guard to run the offense. His time with a young duo in Tatum and Brown, however, should be closely studied going into the 2020-21 season.
2. DeMar DeRozan (31 years old)
The San Antonio Spurs knew they weren't getting a like-for-like exchange when they opted to trade Kawhi Leonard to the Toronto Raptors for DeRozan. Still, the time now comes for the Spurs to decide on what to do in the aftermath of the Leonard saga. They've had two seasons to assess DeRozan's ability in head coach Gregg Popovich's system.
He finished the 2019-20 NBA season averaging 22.1 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.6 assists, which resembles an average of his career stat lines. Still, the 31-year old's numbers are heading for a decline. DeRozan isn't known to linger outside of the mid-range area on offense, with most of his points coming off of mid-range jumpers along with drives to the basket. He's shot only 28 percent from 3-point range for his career, suggesting that he's aware that his bread isn't buttered there.
If the Spurs are looking to get back into NBA playoff contention, it may be best to start fielding calls for the four-time All-Star before it gets too late.
1. Chris Paul (35 years old)
The Oklahoma City Thunder have to make a move on Paul's contract before the start of next season. At 35, the clock is ticking on his value coming into his 16th year in the league. He'll be 36 by the end of the next NBA season, which is a tough pill to swallow for a Thunder team looking to go young.
While Paul will be due a gut-wrenching $41 million next season, he still plays at the level of an NBA All-Star caliber guard. He finished last season averaging 17.6 points, 6.7 assists and five rebounds per game, numbers that awarded him his 10th All-Star appearance after going three seasons without making it to All-Star weekend.
The Wake Forest product would likely want to be paired with star players on a team built for immediate contention if he's moved, which is certainly one of the few type of teams that'd be willing to take on his contract. The Thunder's retaining or releasing of Paul will tell the story of which direction they likely plan to go with the franchise for the forthcoming years.
