Fading Stars Whose NBA Title Windows Have Closed

In the NBA, age is a fickle friend, but so are championship aspirations.

Though the postseason is alive and well, the same cannot be said for certain players' title windows.

Age, declination of talent and obliterated supporting casts all contribute to the demise of championship potential.

So, while their careers are not yet in the rear view mirror, the opportunity to contend for a title is. 

Vince Carter

Should the Mavericks choose to exercise consecutive team options, Vince Carter is theirs for the next two years.

Even with Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas is no longer headed down the road of contention. Remaining with the Mavericks closes Carter's title window by default.

That said, Carter has never been known to embrace pay cuts, so even should he have a chance to explore the open market, he's more likely to settle for the almighty dollar over a contender who would look to snag him at the veteran's minimum.

Carter is a shell of his former high-flying self, but he still has some fight left in the tank.

Fight that will be spent contending for mediocrity, not championships.

Tayshaun Prince

Tayshaun Prince took many by surprise when he re-signed with the Pistons last summer, as it all but ensured he wouldn't make a play for his second championship ring.

Detroit is a young team with a fair amount of upside, yet there's still a wealth of restructuring the team must incur before it can even hope to contend for a title.

Prince has three years left on a deal that will see him turn 35 before its conclusion.

The Pistons will not have re-established themselves as a championship threat before that time, making it far more likely that Prince will never see the light of the NBA finals again. 

Grant Hill

Grant Hill will be 40 in October, and as of March, has no plans to retire.

That said, staving off retirement doesn't keep Hill's championship window from closing.

The small forward is a free agent this summer and will have the opportunity to take his talents to a contender, yet if we learned anything last year, it's that he's loyal to the Suns.

So, while I fully expect Hill to be back next season, I expect it to be in a Phoenix uniform.

And after Steve Nash signs elsewhere, the Suns won't be playoff, let alone championship, contenders before Hill hangs up his kicks for good.

Marcus Camby

Marcus Camby was supposed to have the opportunity to contend for a title with the Trail Blazers this season, but we all know how that turned out.

Not only did Portland implode, but Camby wound up with the Rockets, a team arguably on the rise, but nowhere near title contention.

In 2011, Camby had said he would contemplate retirement if traded from the Blazers. Since moving on to Houston, though, the big man has exhibited a willingness to return.

Whether the 38-year-old Camby retires or returns to the Rockets is essentially irrelevant. Either way, his championship window has closed.

Baron Davis

Baron Davis joined the Knicks with the hopes of contending for an NBA title.

Not only is New York out of playoff contention, but the 33-year-old point guard partially tore his patella tendon and completely tore his ACL and MCL in the process.

By the time Davis is ready to return to action he will be 34. The extensive rehabilitation combined with Davis' already murky bill of health has many wondering if he'll ever play again.

The way he smiled as he was carted off the court Sunday had him looking like a player who knew he was officially out of time. 

Richard Jefferson

With the Spurs, Richard Jefferson was a fading star on a contending team. 

As a member of the Warriors, however, he's a fading star without a glimmer of hope to make a championship push.

Though Golden State hopes to be a much improved team next season, they are nowhere near title contention.

Jefferson's contract runs through 2014, after which he could attempt to latch himself onto a team headed for the finals.

At that point, however, he will be 34 and more than likely to retire before he obtains a championship ring.

Dirk Nowitzki

Sorry, Dirk. 

While free-agents-to-be Jason Kidd and Jason Terry will have the opportunity to make the jump to championship contenders this summer, Dirk Nowitzki is stuck in Dallas for the long haul.

After doing the improbable and defeating the Heat to win the 2011 NBA championship, the Mavericks went from obnoxiously deep to undeniably decimated.

And with Kidd and Terry set to test the open market things aren't going to get any better, especially considering Dallas is not a lock to land Deron Williams.

Nowitzki is 33 going on 34 and has already begun a slow decline. His supporting cast is only thinning and the Mavericks' ability to appeal to top-tier free agents is officially wavering.

Hopefully Nowitzki savored 2011, because that's the first, and last, championship he'll ever win.

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