8 NBA Players Who Need to Retire in 2023

It’s almost 2023, and several NBA veterans are near the end of their careers. I’m talking about players who’re athletic marvels and still able to compete at a high level. However, I believe a few notable names in the NBA should call it quits within the next year.

This article discusses the NBA players who need to retire in 2023. This includes former stars who should consider stepping aside for the newer generation. As everyone knows, it can be difficult to watch some of these aging NBA icons play in the final years of their careers.

Chris Paul

• Age: 37
• Team: Phoenix Suns
• NBA Seasons: 18
• NBA Championships: 0

I love Chris Paul – he’s one of the most well-rounded point guards to play in the NBA. He’s enjoyed a ton of individual success as a player, although he’s yet to win an elusive NBA title. He’s made a name for himself on several different teams, including the Clippers and Suns.

What’s remarkable about Paul’s career is that he makes his teams infinitely better. He knows how to improve the players around him, thanks to his insane basketball IQ and leadership.

Paul has been a part of several title contenders, and he reached the NBA Finals for the first time during the 2020-21 season.

Although he continues to play at a high level, Paul is showing signs of decline. In his 18th season, he’s averaging only 9.5 points per game, although Paul has been dealing with a heel injury. When fully healthy, he’ll provide plenty of stability for the Suns offensively.

It might be a hard call, but I think it’s time for Paul to retire and end his glamorous NBA career. He’s collected 12 All-Star appearances to go along with four All-NBA First Team selections. There’s also no doubt that Paul will be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame one day.

Kyle Lowry

• Age: 36
• Team: Miami Heat
• NBA Seasons: 17
• NBA Championships: 1

Kyle Lowry’s had an exciting career because he wasn’t very good until his ninth NBA season. Before he wound up in Toronto, he had stints in Memphis and Houston as a role player. He wouldn’t appear in his first All-Star game until he spent ten seasons in the NBA.

When the point guard joined the Miami Heat in 2021-22, Lowry signed a three-year contract that expires when he’s 38. Although he’s still in solid form, he’s not the player he once was in Toronto. He’s roughly averaging 13.4 points per game for Miami, which is a significant drop-off.

In my view, Lowry’s done enough in the NBA to be proud of his career. He was a player whom no one expected to succeed, let alone win a championship with the Raptors. He’s also a six-time All-Star and was awarded All-NBA Third Team honors in 2016.

Calling it a day in 2023 would spare him some blushes and keep his legacy intact. If Lowry decides to continue, there’s a good chance he will be remembered more for his mediocre years.

Al Horford

• Age: 36
• Team: Boston Celtics
• NBA Seasons: 16
• NBA Championships: 0

Al Horford has never been a prolific player in putting up points. However, he’s a defensive juggernaut who’s averaged 8.2 rebounds per game throughout his career. He’s also earned five All-Star selections since turning pro in 2007.

When he returned to Boston in 2021, the Celtics would go on a magical run that culminated in a Finals appearance. Boston, however, would lose to Golden State in six games. It was the first time that Horford reached the NBA Finals in his long career.

Many speculated that Horford would retire following the 2021-22 season. However, the long-time NBA veteran decided to give it another go after falling two games short of an NBA title. He’s now in the final year of his contract, which he initially signed in 2019 with the 76ers.

Horford’s numbers in the past half-decade have been good but not great. Before rejoining the Celtics, he was sidelined in Oklahoma City because he wasn’t a good fit on the roster. Although the veteran center has managed to stay healthy, his time should be up soon.

Big Al is the kind of guy who wants to give it another proper go in 2022-23 before leaving the game on a high.

Kevin Love

• Age: 34
• Team: Cleveland Cavaliers
• NBA Seasons: 15
• NBA Championships: 1

Kevin Love has done some amazing things while playing in the NBA. He’s captured a championship alongside LeBron James and won Most Improved Player. He’s also averaged 10.6 rebounds per game throughout his career, which is simply phenomenal.

The downside to Love’s career is that he declined early after a bunch of injuries and mental health problems. He’s now the savvy veteran in Cleveland, a team loaded with young talent.

The forward provides a nice compliment to Even Mobley, Darius Garland, and Donovan Mitchell.

Unfortunately, Love is well past his prime and a shell of his former self. His best season was in 2011-12, when he finished sixth in the MVP voting. He averaged 26.0 points and 13.3 rebounds per game that year, although the Timberwolves only won 26 games.

The numbers now suggest that Love should be retiring from the NBA soon. He’s still a decent player, having finished runner-up in the voting for Sixth Man of the Year last season. However, Love is probably better off calling quits and focusing on his life outside of basketball.

Carmelo Anthony

• Age: 37
• Team: N/A
• NBA Seasons: 19
• NBA Championships: 0

Carmelo Anthony wasn’t on an NBA roster entering the 2022-23 season, and perhaps it’s for the better. He’s already 37 years old, and although he’s still in great shape, he’s now a role player at best. He could probably continue to play, but retirement makes more sense.

Throughout his career, Anthony was an elite scorer who racked up 10 All-Star selections. He also once led the NBA in scoring and was an NCAA Champion the year before turning pro. Anthony also sits ninth overall among the NBA all-time scoring leaders.

Over the previous two seasons, Anthony has been a bench player. He’s averaging 13.4 points per game during that stretch, and he played in six postseason games in 2020-21. He’s still an accurate shooter – Anthony had a field goal percentage of 44.1% in 2021-22 for the Lakers.

The biggest tragedy of Anthony’s career is that he’s also never won an NBA Championship (he doesn’t have a finals appearance either). The closest he ever got was in 2009 when the Denver Nuggets advanced to the Western Conference Finals before losing in six games to the Lakers.

Derek Rose

• Age: 34
• Team: New York Knicks
• NBA Seasons: 14
• NBA Championships: 0

The former NBA MVP (and once a promising player) makes my list of NBA players that need to retire in 2023. Derek Rose’s career has been riddled with injuries, and he hasn’t been the same player since 2012.

The former No. 1 overall draft pick took the NBA by storm in 2010-11. After averaging 25.0 points per game, Rose led the Bulls to a league-leading 62 regular season wins. Chicago would then advance to the Eastern Conference Finals but lost the series in five games against Miami.

Rose is now more of a role player who’s proficient at scoring. Many people are surprised he’s lasted this long in the NBA, given his injury history. He’s played off the bench over the past six seasons. Despite showing a ton of promise early on, Rose only has three All-Star selections.

PJ Tucker

• Age: 37
• Team: Philadelphia 76ers
• NBA Seasons: 13
• NBA Championships: 1

PJ Tucker’s career has been unusual, to say the least. After a brief stint with Toronto in 2006-07, he would return to the NBA after a six-year hiatus. He played for the Phoenix Suns in 2012 and remained with the franchise for almost five full seasons before bouncing around the NBA.

What I like about Tucker is that he’s among a special group of players who can perform at a high level in their 30s. It was also his toughness and physicality that propelled the Milwaukee Bucks to an NBA title in 2020-21. He epitomizes what it means to be a support player.

Is Tucker one of the NBA players who need to retire when the season ends? I think so because of what he accomplished when things were bleak in the early years of his career. He represents a comeback story that everyone can appreciate, so it’s important to call it a day before the inevitable decline hits hard.

Andre Iguodala

• Age: 38
• Team: Golden State Warriors
• NBA Seasons: 18
• NBA Championships: 4

Andre Iguodala’s career has been nothing short of amazing. He’s won four NBA championships, which is tied for the most among active players. He also won a Finals MVP before fellow teammate and NBA superstar Steph Curry.

Everyone also remembers how Iguodala has gone toe-to-toe with LeBron James in multiple postseasons. He was known as a defensive stopper who could guard just about anyone. His career has also been spectacular in the fact that he always finds a way to win.

The end is imminent for Iguodala, who’s shown a lot of regression in recent years. He’s been an exceptional player throughout his career who’s collected plenty of accolades. However, he’s no longer a difference-maker, which is why he should retire in 2023.

Who Do You Expect to Retire?

Make sure that you’re keeping an eye on players who need to retire in 2023. Remember, the top betting sites online offer plenty of NBA props, such as offseason retirements.

Your predictions, if accurate, can earn you some extra cash. There are other interesting NBA Futures available out there, so make sure to keep your eyes open.