Damien Wilkins was a surprise signing for the Indiana Pacers at age 37, but is he really “too old” for the NBA? Welcome to the NBA Murtaugh List.
Kids, let me tell you about a column I wrote in 2015 called “The NBA’s Murtaugh List: Who Is Getting Too Old For This?”
The concept was simple: There are several NBA players approaching the age of 40 and understandably they’re not the young bucks they once were. The question is: Are they too old for this shit? (Sorry, Mom.)
The idea came from an episode of How I Met Your Mother where, well, let me just quote the original column.
"In the show, our lovable everyman Ted Mosby explains to the over-the-top Barney Stinson that he has a list of things he’s simply too old for. The name of the list comes from the movie Lethal Weapon where the character Roger Murtaugh says the line “I’m too old for this [expletive].”"
There may be a role for them on their team, but their dwindling athleticism is limiting them from having a larger impact. While a player may do some things right if their age appears to be making them a liability at times, they will find themselves on the list.
I decided it was time to bring back this list thanks to Damien Wilkins being the Indiana Pacers backup swingman at 37-years-old. That makes him the 5th oldest player in the NBA.
He wasn’t on the original list like Vince Carter, Manu Ginobili, or Dirk Nowitzki who are only slightly older than him. That’s because he wasn’t in the NBA in 2015, 2016, or even last season. but that’s not important right now.
The real question is whether he is in fact, too old for this, um, stuff.
Damien Wilkins — Indiana Pacers
Age: 37 (9 seasons)
Wilkins stands out among the NBA’s 35+ crowd as one of the few players in that group that lacks either an All-Star appearance, a ring, or both. Most of the others who don’t have one of those are3
.0better-known names, such as Jamal Crawford or Jose Calderon. His resume is lacking (though perhaps he had good references), so let’s look at his numbers so far this season.
He is averaging 1.3 points, 0.7 rebounds, and 0.7 assists a game, all career-lows. Despite playing around 10 minutes in three games so far, he is barely showing up on the stat sheet.
After spending last season with the @greensboroswarm, @dwilkins3000 finishes his first bucket as a member of the @Pacers! pic.twitter.com/zpm4DscjDM
— NBA G League (@nbagleague) October 20, 2017
Among the league’s oldest players, arguably only Jose Calderon and Jason Terry have had less of an impact, but they’ve played fewer minutes.
None of this is to say Wilkins shouldn’t be playing at all, but when it is hard to find anything that Wilkins makes the Pacers better at. He may be providing the Pacers with veteran leadership, but in this small sample size of three games, it is hard to argue for why he is on the roster. It isn’t a good sign that McMillan cut down his 10-man rotation to 9 in the last two games, making Wilkins the odd man out.
Indiana wasn’t planning on Wilkins playing this much until Glenn Robinson III went down with an injury, but for now, he is in the mix until at least January. I like Wilkins and don’t mind seeing him on the court as much as some fans do, but he isn’t making a positive impact on the Pacers so far on the court.
Sorry, Damien Wilkins, but you’re on the NBA Murtaugh list.
But why stop here? Let’s look at a few of the oldest players in the NBA and decide whether they should join Wilkins because they are simply getting too old for this… stuff.
Vince Carter — Sacramento Kings
Age: 41 (20 seasons)
Vince Carter is still playing in the NBA at age 41. That’s impressive in its own right.
His numbers are in a slow march downward as he is averaging 3 points and 1.3 rebounds in 11 minutes per a game this season. But unlike some players that are being phased out of the League, Carter evolved. His eFG% last season was the fourth best of his career, a testament to his adaptations to the modern NBA. Carter pushed his shooting out beyond the arc got away from tossing up mid-range jumpers. He still has a spring in his step, but he can’t drive and dunk like we remember during the Vinsanity era.
But a smarter Carter can only cover up so much. While the savvy veteran improves certain aspects of his game as the years go by, his impact is understandably fading. When you dig into the advanced numbers, it becomes clear that his usefulness on the floor is in question. His box plus-minus was in the positive for 17 years of his career, but for the last three seasons neither his offense or defense covers up the failures of the other.
Carter’s run in the NBA is without question hall of fame worthy, but he is now in the twilight of his legendary career. He isn’t out of gas yet, but it is very clear he is now on the Murtaugh list.
Manu Ginobili — San Antonio Spurs
Age: 40 (16 seasons)
I’m mildly surprised Manu Ginobili is only 40 because he was so good for so long, and has remained relevant in the past few years as his role with the San Antonio Spurs has declined.
Like Carter, Manu trended toward shooting 3-pointers at a higher rater, but his physical decline hurt his eFG% numbers even more. Ginobili’s lack of explosiveness in recent years took away the driving opportunities that vintage Manu would have scored on or at least found a teammate to complete the job.
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But somehow, he still a major part of the San Antonio rotations. He is still playing over 21 minutes a game while averaging 9.3 points, 2.3 assists, and 2.3 rebounds a game.
He started off the season in a 28.6% shooting slump that he broke out of in the last two games, shooting 50% in both contests to raise his average over 40%. If he keeps this up, he might average double-digit points soon.
It felt like Ginobili should have retired a few seasons ago. Not because of his play, but just because of how long he has been in our basketball consciousness. Manu was an All-Star in 2004 and won a fourth NBA title a decade later. Few players matter as much to their teams like he has at the beginning, middle, and now end of his career.
This might be his last ride, but he isn’t on the Murtaugh list just yet.
Jason Terry — Milwaukee Bucks
Age: 40 (18 seasons)
Jason Terry doesn’t act his age — in a good way — as he spreads his wings after a 3-pointer into his signature “Jet” pose. His game, however, reveals an older man.
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Terry is averaging 1 points and 0.8 rebounds with the Milwaukee Bucks this season, playing 10 minutes a game. It could simply be early season rust for Terry, but considering his minutes and points have dwindled since 2013, it might just be Father Time grounding the Jet.
He has sat out two of the Bucks four games so far, another sign that his body can’t do what it used to. It would be one thing if he had a made basket, but through 21 minutes of play he is 0 of 4 shooting. Another bad sign in his shooting hasn’t breached higher 43% since before his title run with the Dallas Mavericks in 2011.
If he can at least get his 3-pointer back in order — one thing that didn’t leave him in recent seasons — then he can get back in the rotations for the Bucks. But even then, it is clear he earned his spot on the Murtaugh list.
Dirk Nowitzki — Dallas Mavericks
Age: 39 (19 seasons)
It is fitting that Dirk Nowitzki comes right after Jason Terry in this post as the two won the 2011 title together. However, he also joins Terry on the Murtaugh List itself.
Nowitzki is a legend, but like any old soldier, he will never die, just fade away. The problem for Nowitzki now is his proximity to being completely gone. So far this season he is playing over 25 minutes a night but only averaging 9.2 points and 6.4 rebounds. His 34% shooting percentage is bound to rise as his 7-foot frame allows him to shoot over almost anyone, but he won’t have much else going for him.
It isn’t fun to watch any player fade out of the league, but with Nowitzki’s charm and goofiness, the process is that much more painful. For all the players on the Murtaugh list, it isn’t an enjoyable process to see the talent that made them one of the best basketball players in the world leave them, but Dirk’s hurts me the most.
Nowitzki reminded us in 2011 that the most talented team doesn’t always win the NBA Finals. Sometimes the underdog puts it all together and upsets the favored team like that veteran-laden Dallas team did. With the Golden State Warriors presumedly going on another victory march this season, one wonders if there is a team like those Mavericks that can play the spoiler.
We’ll settle for the nostalgia if Dirk is making his final run, but five games in and with the last few seasons indicating a larger trend, that may be all we have left.
Jamal Crawford — Minnesota Timberwolves
Age: 37 (17 seasons)
Jamal Crawford is still averaging double-digits in scoring (11.2 points) as he settles in with his new team, the Minnesota Timberwolves. He also clocks in at over 20 minutes per a contest, but we are only five games into the season. But so far, he leaves a mark each time, save a disappointing outing for him against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Throw out his 3 points in that game, and he is averaging 13.3 points.
3-pointers were always part of his game but like many of these veteran players, he increased the rate of fire from that distance as he aged. He takes around four a game now and is making half of those attempts. That will come down closer to his 35% career average, but the Wolves will take those shots as they fall.
Crawford’s game aged well because he is, too. Some of the efficiency numbers are starting to drop as he is still 37 years-old, unable to do all the things he used to. But even with that, Crawford looks the most comfortable as the game changes and he ages.
Time is coming for Crawford, and his game may fall off a cliff entirely once it does. But so far he is keeping his name off the Murtaugh List.
Pau Gasol — San Antonio Spurs
Age: 37 (16 seasons)
Pau Gasol is still underrated in an era where such things rarely exist. We often have an agreed general consensus on many players, but rarely is Gasol’s name tossed around as often as other players who did as much or even less than him.
When people talk about Kobe Bryant’s last two championships in 2009 and 2011, they either forget Gasol or discount him entirely. A player who will end his career in the top 100 all-time for points, blocks and rebounds is somehow not worth most people’s time or treated as something lesser than a key member of those championship winning teams.
But I digress.
The Gasol we are talking about today is one who still made half his shots while averaging 12.4 points and 7.8 rebounds last season. This season is off to a slower start as he is averaging only 7.8 points to go with his 7.3 rebounds per a game. It likely isn’t helping Gasol that the Spurs are without Kawhi Leonard, but in Pau’s 16th season, that doesn’t preclude age from factoring in.
Many of these post-35-year old players have NBA career’s that are eligible for a driver’s license, so it isn’t surprising to see their game slip away quickly. However, with the circumstances around the Spurs and a solid season in his rear view, it is too early to put Gasol on the Murtaugh List.
David West — Golden State Warriors
Age: 37 (16 seasons)
Our final Murtaugh list candidate is David West, formerly Indiana Pacers. West followed his name and went to the Golden State Warriors in search of a ring, and found what he was looking for.
But it wasn’t time to hang things up, West wants more.
This season he is averaging 6.2 points a game, slightly ahead of last year’s 4.6. Those aren’t much but he only takes 3.6 shots a game, so thanks to his 72.2% shooting percentage, he is making the most of his 10 minutes a game.
And that’s what the Warriors need from him. West comes in, hits his shots, grabs rebounds, and gives the starters a rest while maintaining or expanding Golden State’s lead. He is still the 17-foot assassin as he makes over half his baskets from beyond 16-feet. West’s style of play is aging well. He still manages to make those contested mid-range shots by creating just enough room to get his shot off.
With a rotation spot on a team all but destined for another title, West certainly isn’t on this edition of the NBA Murtaugh List.
Next: The Good, the Bad, and 2017 Lance Stephenson
Age isn’t always the reason why a career comes to an end, but for these players we looked at here, their ability is getting them further than most can with their bodies in the NBA. One day, however, their day will come. Some may age gracefully like Manu Ginobili, while other’s just won’t know until it is too late: They got too old for this.