15 Players Who May Have Played Their Last Game in the NBA

lockout is continuing to rear its ugly head, slowly diminishing hope of fans and players getting a full season.

The offseason is supposed to be a time of free-agency signings, player acquisitions and athlete development, yet instead we are forced to endure grueling labor negotiations that attempt to hide the fact this issue all boils down to dollars and cents.

With no end to this drawn-out saga in sight, another reality of a postponed or cancelled season will begin to set it in for both fans and players: athletes who we may not see play again.  

Some players are already on the fence about playing next season, and should it be delayed or cancelled, they may be more apt to just hang up their sneakers now. Additionally, other players that may not want to retire or steadfastly wanted to play at least another year may find that they cannot come back after sitting on the sidelines for so long.

On that note, let’s take a look at 15 players who may have played their last NBA game, some of whom we will miss more than others.

Last season, the 34-year-old Peja Stojakovic bounced around quite a bit, spending time with the New Orleans Hornets, Toronto Raptors and Dallas Mavericks, and after winning an NBA Championship, he may be considering retirement, especially if next season is dismantled in any capacity.

Stojakovic stated last season that he didnot want to retire, but that was before he had a ring. He did play well with Dallas though, averaging 8.6 points, providing the instant offense he has become so well known for.

If the free-agency period ever officially begins, the small forward is bound to draw some interest from around the league, but should this lockout postpone or destroy the season completely, such interest could subside.

Ultimately, Stojakovic may decide to take his ring and his talents over to Europe or just hang up his kicks for good.

Erick Dampier has never really been a dominant center, yet because of his size, he has seen his share of money. But at the age of 36, with 15 NBA seasons under his belt, he may decide, or be forced, to call it quits.

Dampier has stated hedoesn’t have plans of retiring, but such a blueprint could drastically change because of the lockout. 

How many teams are going to be interested next summer in a 37-year-old, notoriously underachieving center? Even Dampier’s size cannot save him in such a scenario.

Dampier may want to play again, possibly ignoring his age in the process, but that’s something organizations won’t do. The longer this lockout persists, the better the chance that we never see Dampier suit up for an NBA team again.

First it wasalmost a certaintythat Zydrunas Ilgauskas would retire, but in June it wasdowngraded to a possibility.

If Ilgauskas is even slightly considering retirement at this point, expect him to have played his last game if the season is postponed or cancelled.

The 36-year-old center averaged five points and four rebounds for the Miami Heat last season, and it became clear there was very little left to give in that 7’3” body of his. Even Ilgauskas himself said he was becoming too old for the grueling season, and these circumstances are not going to get any better.

Is there a chance Ilgauskas comes back next season? Yes, but there is a zero percent chance he comes back after sitting on the sidelines for a year. He would be 37 at that point, an age that is anything but NBA-friendly.

There’s talk of the Cleveland Cavaliersretiring his jersey number, and such a ceremony may be the only reason we see Ilgauskas on the court again. 

When Shaquille O’Neal retired, the 38-year-old Kurt Thomas became the oldest active player in the NBA, reason enough to believe that we may have seen the last him on the basketball court.

Thomas averaged 4.1 points and 5.8 rebounds for the Chicago Bulls last season, maintaining his reputation as a strong defender. Currently, it is believed that Thomas is looking to play at least another season, and who can blame him, considering he is drawing interestfrom teams likethe New York Knicks.

That being said, Thomas turns 39 in October, and if the season gets postponed or cancelled, teams may not be so apt to sign him, especially if it's cancelled because he’ll be going on 40 when play resumes. He already plays barely 20 minute a game, and this is a number that will only decrease as time goes on.

Thomas has a good basketball head on his shoulders, and is the type of player that will know when the right time to call it quits is.

Amidst the lockout, it’s possible that that time is now.

The 38-year-old Theo Ratliff only appeared in 10 games for the Los Angeles Lakers this past season, a year that many thoughtwould be his last.

Since the NBA season concluded, there has been no final word on Ratliff’s behalf on what he will do, but we have to believe the lockout is only hurting the 16-year veteran’s chances of returning.

Ratliff used to be a defensive stalwart in the low-post, but now he is a shell of the player that averaged 2.4 blocks per game over his career. 

It is very possible that the allure of a championship ring could motivate Ratliff to play one more year, as long as he finds a contender in need of a bench warming center, perhaps even Los Angeles again.

However, with each passing day that does not bring about a resolution to this hideous lockout decreases the probability that Ratliff gets another chance at a ring, making it more likely that the one-minute he played during the postseason was the time we would see him on the court.

After all, it will be hard enough this year, let alone next year to find a team that will jump at the chance to sign a player who can no longer jump himself.

Jamaal Magloire will almost certainlyreturn next season, despite his inability to be productive.

Since Magloire is 6’11”, he is bound to get a minimum contract from someone, but this may turn out not to be the case if the season gets postponed or cancelled. 

Last season, Magloire averaged 1.9 points and 3.4 rebounds in only 18 games. Aside from being the benefactor of fortuitous rebounds that found their way into his hands, his ability to contribute is non-existent.

Should the NBA be looking at a January start, or even a cancellation, what are the odds that Magloire is going to be game-ready without any real preparation? He was barely in shape last season when he had the opportunity to practice with an actual team so it’s frightening to think how he’ll do on his own.

If the season gets cancelled, Magloire will be 34 when the NBA is ready to reopen, which is a much less enticing number, especially when it’s coupled with his useless statistics.

The more severe this lockout becomes, the more likely it is that Magloire’s NBA days are over.

At 36 and with 16 NBA seasons under his belt, Joe Smith and his 6’10” body do not seem to be ready tocall it quits. The NBA lockout may force his hand though.

Last season, with the Los Angeles Lakers, Smith appeared in only 16 games, averaging less than one point and 1.3 rebounds in about four minutes of action. When your career hits the point where you are playing less than five minutes per game, the end is clearly near.

All indications are that Smith will try to get at least squeeze another season out of the NBA, but should the lockout postpone or cancel the season, he may be forced to retire. He is barely in game shape as it is, and being away from the game for a year or longer is not going to do his body good, especially considering he’ll be 37 next summer.

Even without a lockout, Smith may be hard pressed to find work. His legs are not what they used to be, making him a non-factor when crashing glass, which was his forte once upon a time.

 Who knows, maybe the lockout is doing him a favor, saving him from the disappointment of rejection and allowing him to retire “voluntarily.”

Hopefully Smith savored the 11 total minutes he played this past postseason because they could be his last.

The 37-year-oldMarcus Cambymade it clear last season he still had the ability to be effective, but it is unclear if he has any desire to return.

Last season, when facing the prospect of being traded, Camby proclaimed hewould mull retirementshould such speculation come to fruition. His body could most certainly be exhausted from his 15-year career, but it was slightly puzzling to see him contemplate just walking away when so many teams showed interest in acquiring him.

Camby averaged 4.7 points, 10.3 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game, maintaining his spot amongst the league’s top defensive big men. While it remains a strong possibility he will return for next season as long as he is a member of the Portland Trail Blazers, it is unclear what he will do if he gets a taste of retirement as a result of this lockout.

An extended vacation from basketball may prompt Camby to take a permanent one, crushing any chance of seeing his lanky stature grace the court again.

Juwan Howard apparently hasno plans to retire, but he could be singing a different tune very soon.

Howard averaged 2.4 points and 2.1 rebounds in 57 games for the Miami Heat last season. The former $105 million man now struggles getting up and down the court, rendering him a liability on both offense and defense, and making it apparent his 38-year-old body may be ready for a rest.

Though Howard has every intention of returning next season, not many teams, aside from the Heat perhaps, will be interested in taking him on. He comes cheap at this point in his career, but why pay someone to do virtually nothing?

If the season gets cancelled or postponed though, his permanent leave becomes even more likely. With no team to train with, his already murky physique will only further deteriorate. This is not exactly an attribute teams value. 

Hopefully for his sake he calls it quits before a non-existent market does it for him.

Eddy Curry has only played in 10 games over the past three seasons, sitting out all of last season, resulting in him getting paid by the pound instead of games played, yet he still hasn’t retired.

Why? Probably his financial woes, after all, with all that time on his hands from not having to play, his $11.3 million salary must have gone quick.

For years we have monitored Curry’s up and down, but mostly up, weight situation. He at one point weighed over 300 pounds and even if he was to drop down to 225, it is clear that he has no motivation to stay in game-ready shape.

The market for Curry is very slim looking ahead toward next season, but at only 28, some teams may be inclined to give him a shot. The NBA is a center-starved league, which is a plus for Curry.

However, the longer the lockout lasts, the longer Curry’s shortcomings can marinate in the heads of each member of every organization’s front office personnel. And if Curry fails to yield impressive conditioning results after all this time to train, any teams that aren’t already will certainly be put off.

A lengthy lockout decreases the already slim chances of Curry’ comeback, meaning that his last game in the NBA may have already been played.

About two-years ago.

The 36-year-old Ben Wallace has one-year left on his contract, a year that most believewill be his last, yet he might not even get that far as a result of personal preference and/or the NBA lockout.

Wallace averaged 2.9 points, 6.5 rebounds and one block per game last season for the Detroit Pistons, numbers that clearly show he can still be effective on the defensive end. However, the soon-to-be 37--year-old does not have the same leaping ability he used, making it harder for him to block shots and grab boards.

It seems that there is no beyond next season for Wallace, as most do not think he would be able to land a contract, let alone play at a capable level. Some even feel he may not opt to return next season if there is one. We cannot take any of that chatter at face value though, because we have seen this before.

Most had Wallace retiring a couple years back, but he returned much to their chagrin. Is he capable of making a similar type of decision this time around? Sure, but the NBA lockout may not let him.

The 38-year-old Grant Hill is keeping hisfree agent options open, which seems to indicate he plans on returning for at least another season, but will his plans change as a result of the lockout?

Hill's career has been marred by multiple injuries, and while he has played in nearly every game the past three seasons, he is turning 39 in October, an age where most players have already called it quits. His decision to come back next season is not unwarranted, he did average 13.2 points and 5.5 rebounds per game last season, stellar numbers for someone his age.

This aside though, let's consider what becomes of Hill if this lockout kills the NBA season? He would be going on 40 the next time play resumed, a rarity in this league. At that stage in his life, especially a year removed from the game, coming back may not be so easy or even possible. 

Hill may be inclined to play one more season, but as a result of this lockout, he may have already played his last game and like us, didn't even know it.

Jason Kidd has stated back in May that he feels he has "a lot left to give," but after winning an NBA title, who knows what could happen, especially in regards to the lockout.

In his 17th season, Kidd averaged 7.9 points and 8.2 assists per game for the Dallas Mavericks and was instrumental in their upset of the Miami Heat in this year's NBA finals. He is not as quick as he once was, but those 38-year-old eyes of his proved they were more than capable of finding the open man still.

While Kidd said before the Mavs became champions that he would return for the final year of his contract regardless of if they won it all or not, what happens if the season is postponed or cancelled? It would definitely be tough for Kidd to come back from such a long break, especially if the whole season is cancelled; he would be 39 going on 40 when the league is ready to reopen for business.

Kidd's body is not going to be able to stand up to the rigors of the NBA forever, and one could argue that he is already working off of borrowed time at his age. As a result, the longer this lockout persists, and the further removed from competitive play he becomes, the better the chance that Kidd has already played his last game.

Some pegged Tracy McGrady forretirement back in 2010, but he ultimately decided he was fit enough to train and execute at a high level. With the lockout currently threatening to cancel next season though, opting to hang up his laces is becoming more realistic.

The 32-year-old McGrady averaged eight points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game for the Detroit Pistons last season, playing in all but ten games. His ability to stay on the active list throughout almost the entire season was something he hadn't done in almost five-years.

While his durability was impressive though, it became clear he would never be the T-Mac that we came to know and love. At only 32, McGrady had not only already peaked, but became a player who is more valuable for his veteran experience than his production potential.

Looking ahead toward next season, there will certainly be a few teams who are willing to take on McGrady, but it's uncertain how McGrady feels about returning.

Sure, this season was promising in terms of health, but what if this lockout drags over into next season? What if we lose the entire season? Is McGrady and his 32-year-old body going to be able to keep itself in game-ready condition?

Who knows, but we do know that the longer this lockout lasts, the more likely it is that we may have seen McGrady play his last game.

Kevin Garnettrecentlytold the Boston Globe he has not ruled out playing beyond next season, but has already stated he would consider hanging it up if this NBA lockoutrefuses to cease.

Garnett averaged 14.9 points and 8.9 rebounds per game last season, impressive numbers for a 35-year-old big man. Game in and game out he proved that he was still capable of being a dominant low-post player thanks to those long, lanky arms and better-than-average stamina of his.

All of this aside though, Garnett knows that the Boston Celtics' days as contenders are numbered. He, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen are not getting any younger, and the team as whole is becoming more vulnerable to being exploited by organizations like the Miami Heat.

Additionally, while Garnett is more than willing to play out the last season of his contract (he has over 21 million reasons to do so), it is unclear whether the then-36-year-old would want to return from a cancelled season. By that point not only will he be a year older, but so will Allen and Pierce.

This upcoming season is more likely than not Garnett's final one if all goes according to plan, but there is a chance his future plans get disrupted by the lockout. Whether or not we get to see him play again is not an issue of health, ability or love for the game, but rather hangs in the balance of the CBA negotiations.

Source: http://bleacherreport.com