15 NBA players on the decline

Let’s get one thing out of the way first. Every player in this list has had an amazing career in the NBA that the vast majority of us can only dream of. All of them have dedicated their lives to game we love and deserve a tremendous amount of respect and deference from all basketball fans.

At a certain point, however, the human body begins to give out, and for the following 15 players, this is exactly the case. Here are 15 NBA players on the decline.

1. Carmelo Anthony

Sorry, Knicks fans, but it’s all downhill from here when it come to Carmelo Anthony. Anthony is still a great shooter and scorer, but at 31 and coming off of major knee surgery, Melo’s best years are behind him. Anthony is shooting a career low 41 percent from the field this season and no longer appears to be the All-Star he once was. At the very least, a future with Kristaps Porzingis should put a smile on faces of Knicks fans.

2. Pau Gasol

Although his size, skill and basketball IQ still make him an effective player, Chicago Bulls power forward Pau Gasol is on the decline. Gasol, 35, is no longer the player he was during his prime with the Grizzlies and Lakers.

Pau is shooting a career worst 45 percent from the field this season and playing a career-low 20 minutes per game. Again, Gasol is still a quality NBA player who certainly has a few years left in him, but the Spaniard is definitely on the decline.

3. Dwight Howard

Truth be told, Dwight Howard hasn’t been the dominant force in the paint we assume him to be since he left Orlando in 2012. Back issues have hampered Howard over the past few years, and we’ve likely seen his better years pass him by. Still, Howard is not even 30 years old, so expect him to remain one of the NBA’s better centers for the next few years. Just don’t expect him to be an elite center ever again.

4. Dwyane Wade

Injuries have long bothered Dwyane Wade, but the 33-year-old Miami Heat guard finally appears to be showing signs of age. Wade has failed to play over 70 games the past four seasons and likely will not do so again this year. No team wanted to sign him to a long-term contract this past offseason, and for good reason. D-Wade has peaked.

5. Derrick Rose

It’s hard to believe that at 27 years of age, Derrick Rose is on this list. Typically speaking, players at his age are playing the best years of their careers. But for the Chicago Bulls point guard, repeated knee injuries have robbed him of the explosiveness that made him one of the NBA’s most dangerous players.

Rose is simply a shell of the MVP-level player he used to be, shooting a career-worst 36.7 percent from the field this season.

6. Tony Parker

Longtime Spurs point guard Tony Parker is finally starting to slow down. Luckily for him, the folks in Spurs management are masters at resting players and getting the most out of them in their later years, (Tim Duncan, cough). At 33, Parker simply can’t keep up with younger opposing point guards the way he used too. Expect the Spurs to try to find a new point guard to develop and lead their team into future this upcoming offseason.

7. Zach Randolph

After failing to stick with any team, power forward Zach Randolph finally found a home with the Memphis Grizzlies in 2009. He has been a perennial double-double threat every night for the Grizz, but at 34 years old, that time appears to be coming to an end. Randolph is no longer scoring and rebounding the ball at the rate he used to in previous years, and considering Z-Bo has never been a great defender, it’s going to be harder and harder for him to find minutes as that trend continues.

8. Tyson Chandler

The 2012 NBA Defensive Player of the Year, it was bit of head-scratcher when the Phoenix Suns signed center Tyson Chandler to a four-year, $52 million deal this offseason. Every NBA team needs a rim protector, but at 33, Chandler appeared to be a player on the decline.

Well, Chandler’s performance this season has confirmed that. Not only has Chandler been limited to 17 games due to a hamstring injury, when he has been on the court the results have not been pretty. The seven footer is averaging less than one block per game for the first time in his career and also shooting well below 50 percent from the field. Signing Chandler to a four-year deal is a decision Suns’ brass will likely come to regret.

9. Monta Ellis

Besides putting points up on the scoreboard, Monta Ellis really hasn’t had much else to offer in the NBA. Now in his first season with the Indiana Pacers, Ellis is averaging just 12.3 points per game, his lowest total since his rookie season. Granted, with Paul George as the Pacers' alpha dog, shots might be harder Ellis to come by, but considering that he is shooting just 42.7 percent from the field and well below 30 percent from belong the arc, Ellis may just be on the decline.

10. Ty Lawson

It seems hard to believe that a 28-year-old player, who averaged 15 points and nine assists a night last season, could be here, but nonetheless, Ty Lawson is. After several drunk driving-related arrests, Lawson wore out his welcome with the Denver Nuggets and was traded to the Rockets this past offseason. The move to Houston has been a disaster for all parties. After failing to click with the starting lineup, Lawson was benched. Now averaging a career low 6.2 points per game, the Rockets have reportedly looked to flip Lawson already. The talent is still there, but Ty Lawson’s NBA career is on life support.

11. Al Jefferson

Averaging his lowest minutes per game total since 2006, Hornets center Al Jefferson appears to be slowing down. Although still a quality player when on the court, Jefferson is also averaging his lowest points and rebounds output since 2006. With youngsters Cody Zeller and Frank Kaminsky needing time to develop as well, Jefferson’s days as Charlotte’s top big man may be coming to an end.

12. Jamal Crawford

A former NBA Sixth Man of the Year, at 35 years old, Jamal Crawford does not appear to be player he has been in years past for the Clippers. After having an awful postseason, Crawford’s shooting woes have carried into the 2015-16 regular season. The Seattle native is shooting an abysmal 37.8 percent from the field and averaging his lowest point total since 2003. Crawford is clearly a player on the decline.

13. Andrew Bogut

The No. 1 overall pick of the 2005 NBA Draft, the problem for center Andrew Bogut was always his health. Now, it’s his on-court production. With Festus Ezeli on the rise in Golden State, Bogut has seen his minutes for the Warriors steadily decline. Bogut is still a capable defender and pick-and-roll partner, but at this point in his career don’t expect him to play more than 25 minutes a night.

14. Trevor Ariza

Although never the most dominant player on court, Rockets small forward Trevor Ariza was always able to make his presence known on the floor. Now shooting a career low 37 percent from the field, Ariza’s days of successfully spacing the floor may be coming to an end sooner than later. With his tremendous length, Ariza is still a solid perimeter defender, but now in his 12th NBA season, he appears to be exiting his prime years.

15. LeBron James

This might be a rude awakening for Cavs fans, but LeBron James appears to have peaked. At just 30 years of age, James has played more total minutes than Larry Bird, Steve Nash and Jerry West played in their entire careers! And the fact that James insists on playing as many minutes as possible doesn’t help matters.

At some point, King James' body is going to start to give out a little bit, and that time might be sooner than later. That being said, a slightly diminished version of LeBron James is still a better player than 99.9 percent of all other NBA players.