DeMar DeRozan, a six-time All-Star, got waived in July and then signed a one-year, $3.9 million deal with the Nuggets. Let that sink in for a minute. For a guy who used to command max money, that’s a wild drop, and it screams that Father Time is coming for everyone, even players who still look good on paper.
The DeRozan Dilemma: Speed Over Skill?
DeRozan is still playing way too well for anyone to call him “washed” right now. Last season, at 36 years old, he dropped 18.4 points, 4.1 assists, and 2.9 rebounds over 77 games, shooting nearly 50% from the field. Those aren’t superstar numbers anymore, sure, but seriously, what young wing wouldn’t kill for that kind of production? The problem with DeMar isn’t the numbers themselves, it’s *how* he gets them. His game is all mid-range, getting to the line, and those incredible footwork moves. He’s not a three-point threat, only hitting 32% last year. If he loses even a tiny bit of that elite speed, his entire offensive arsenal takes a massive hit in a way a pure shooter’s game just doesn’t. Denver brought him in to give them 14 to 17 points off the bench and handle the ball when Jokic rests, which is a solid role. But 37 years old is where a lot of players fall off a cliff, and without a reliable deep ball, DeRozan has zero margin for error.
James Harden’s Evolution and Impending Decline
Putting James Harden on this kind of list feels almost crazy after what we saw last year. He put up 23.6 points, 8.0 assists, and 4.8 rebounds in 70 games, shooting 43.4% overall and a sharp 37.5% from deep. Those are basically All-Star numbers, even at 36. Moving to Cleveland really seemed to click for him too, where he averaged 20.5 points and 7.7 assists, shooting an insane 43.5% from three in 26 games. He didn’t score quite as much, but he was way more efficient because he wasn’t carrying the whole offense. That’s why he’s not higher on this list: Harden has already adapted his game. He doesn’t rely on that blazing first step he had in Houston anymore, and he doesn’t need 30 shots to make an impact. His passing, that classic step-back three, and his pick-and-roll IQ will stick around even if his athleticism dips more. Still, the man is turning 37 and has over 1,400 total NBA games on his legs. You know it has to show up eventually. We already saw him struggle to blow past defenders against the Knicks in the playoffs, and that could easily get worse. The Cavs just gave him three years, so they’re banking on his adaptability, but that’s a lot of mileage for any player.
Other vets are in the same boat. LeBron James, at 41 years old, still put up 20.9 points last year, but even he’s expected to naturally drop a notch with the sheer talent around him on the 76ers. These guys aren’t necessarily the ten most “washed” players in the league, but they’re absolutely the veterans we should all be watching super closely this season to see just how hard Father Time finally hits.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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