7 NBA Players Who Probably Just Played Their Last Game Ever

It's always a sad day when a long and dignified NBA career draws to a close, and that's exactly what might be happening for these seven players. 

Although nothing is set in stone, it would come as no surprise if all seven of these guys have laced up their sneakers on the basketball court during the regular season for a final time. 

We've got former All-Stars, NBA champions, Defensive Players of the Year and more here.

Read on to find out who they are. 

Erick Dampier

Team: Atlanta Hawks

Position: Center

Age: 36

2011-2012 Per-Game Stats: 0.1 points, 1.5 rebounds, 0.3 assists

After he saw his minutes decline last year with the Miami Heat, Erick Dampier has barely been able to step foot on the court for the Atlanta Hawks during his 16th year in the NBA, and that's been with an injured Al Horford leaving a hole at Dampier's position. 

The defensively oriented center's contract ends this year, and it's highly unlikely that another team needs a useless body enough to pay him anything at all. 

Legacy: Dampier will be remembered as a fringe starter who could throw up just short of 10 points and 10 rebounds on any given night during his prime and take up space on the court. 

Career Per-Game Stats: 7.4 points, 7.1 rebounds, 0.8 assists

Best Season Per-Game Stats: 12.3 points, 12.0 rebounds, 0.8 assists in 2003-2004 with the Golden State Warriors 

Career Highlight: Playing well in contract seasons.

Derek Fisher

Team: Oklahoma City Thunder

Position: Point guard

Age: 37

2011-2012 Per-Game Stats: 5.6 points, 1.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists

Now in his 16th season of professional basketball, Derek Fisher has not been treated very nicely by Father Time. Gone are the days in which he could be a productive floor general as it's hard enough for him to make a positive impact while playing limited minutes of the bench. 

The lefty with awkward shooting form is going to make one hell of a coach one day and let's hope that's sooner than later. Each game Fish spends on the court past this season will be one game too many. 

Fisher doesn't have a contract offer from any team for the 2012-2013 season, and that could change if a team wants a veteran locker room presence, but it shouldn't.

Legacy: Fisher will never be remembered as a great point guard, but he will go down in history as a tremendous leader who played a crucial part in quite a few championship seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers. 

Career Per-Game Stats: 8.6 points, 2.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists

Best Season Per-Game Stats: 15.1 points, 2.9 rebounds, 4.9 assists in 2005-2006 with the Golden State Warriors

Career Highlight: The 0.4 second shot. 

Grant Hill

Team: Phoenix Suns

Position: Small forward

Age: 39

2011-2012 Per-Game Stats: 10.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists

Now the second-oldest player in the NBA by one day, it's time for Grant Hill to put an end to his terrific basketball career. 

Hill has given no indication that he's ready to retire, but it seems unlikely that the Phoenix Suns will re-sign him, meaning that he's either done or going to have to play in a new uniform. 

The small forward may still be a recognizable name, but his game has deteriorated to the point that there are only brief glimpses of the former All-Star. 

Legacy: Hill's best seasons were good enough that he's going to get some serious Hall of Fame consideration, even though it will take him a few ballots to make it in if he ever does.

Career Per-Game Stats: 17.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, 4.2 assists

Best Season Per-Game Stats: 19.6 points, 8.2 rebounds, 6.7 assists

Career Highlight: Recording more points, rebounds and assists in his first six seasons than anyone but Oscar Robertson, Larry Bird and LeBron James. 

Juwan Howard

Team: Miami Heat

Position: Power forward

Age: 39

2011-2012 Per-Game Stats: 1.5 points, 1.6 rebounds, 0.4 assists

When you're having trouble earning playing time over Joel Anthony, Ronny Turiaf, Eddy Curry and Dexter Pittman, it's time to call it quits.

Legacy: Juwan Howard will be remembered as a former Fab Five member who enjoyed a productive start to his career, signed the first nine-digit contract and then subsequently declined.

Career Per-Game Stats: 13.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists

Best Season Per-Game Stats: 22.1 points, 8.1 rebounds, 4.4 assists in 1995-1996 with the Washington Bullets

Career Highlight: Signing that contract. 

Jerry Stackhouse

Team: Atlanta Hawks

Position: Shooting guard

Age: 37

2011-2012 Per-Game Stats: 3.7 points, 0.8 rebounds, 0.5 assists

Jerry Stackhouse enjoyed 13 productive seasons in the NBA, but he hasn't been much a factor for the last four years thanks to both injuries and declining skills. 

This season has been a bit of an uptick, but that's a problem when the uptick consists of shooting below 40 percent from the field and a PER of 12.78. 

Legacy: Stackhouse will be remembered as a two-time All-Star with a definite focus on the offensive end of the court, once resulting in nearly 30 points per game over the course of a full season.

Career Per-Game Stats: 17.4 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists

Best Season Per-Game Stats: 29.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, 5.1 assists in 2000-2001 with the Detroit Pistons

Career Highlight: Scoring 57 points in a single game against the Chicago Bulls.

Kurt Thomas

Team: Portland Trail Blazers

Position: Center

Age: 39

2011-2012 Per-Game Stats: 2.9 points, 3.5 rebounds, 0.8 assists

Kurt Thomas is the oldest player in the NBA right now and will be turning 40 before the start of the 2012-2013 season. I may be wrong about this one, but I think there's a rule about playing past 40...

The undersized big man is still a tough veteran who doesn't make too many mistakes, but there's just not enough upside to having him on the roster anymore.

Legacy: Thomas will never be remembered as a player who carried his team, in fact he only posted above-average seasonal PERs three times in his career, but he won't be remembered negatively either.

Career Per-Game Stats: 8.3 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.1 assists

Best Season Per-Game Stats: 13.9 points, 9.1 rebounds, 1.1 assists

Career Highlight: Starting 37 games for the Chicago Bulls and helping earn the No. 1 record in the league at age 38.

Ben Wallace

Team: Detroit Pistons

Position: Center

Age: 37

2011-2012 Per-Game Stats: 1.3 points, 4.2 rebounds, 0.7 assists

Ben Wallace has always been a great defensive player, but even that skill set is slipping away from him as his age increases. 

The center remained one of the best defenders on the Detroit Pistons, even at age 37, but his offense is now so bad that it's hard to justify keeping him on the court for an extended period of time.

His contract expires at the end of this season, and it's going to be difficult for him to find a new role. 

Legacy: Big Ben will be remembered as one of the greatest defensive big men of all time.

Career Per-Game Stats: 5.7 points, 9.6 rebounds, 1.3 assists

Best Season Per-Game Stats: 6.3 points, 14.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists in 2002-2003 with the Detroit Pistons

Career Highlight: Being named Defensive Player of the Year four times.