NBA 2019: 5 Oldest players in the NBA TODAY

Time and again, various sections of the basketball community have expressed an apparent distaste at players who keep playing past their prime and dragging their careers into oblivion before hanging their boots. On the flipside, their sheer love for the game helps them stretch the physical boundaries of the game to unthinkable levels.

Perennial stars like Vince Carter, Jamal Crawford, Pau Gasol and more have garnered the collective respect of the basketball universe for their lifelong commitment to the game that still beats the imagination of many.

On that note, let's take a look at the 5 oldest players in the NBA at this point in time.

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#5 Kyle Korver - 38 years (March 17, 1981)

Kyle Korver was the 51st overall pick back in 2003.

For a prolonged period of time, Korver had solidified his names as one of the league's elite three-point shooters. Across a career that has spanned over 16 years (and still counting), the 2015 NBA All-Star holds a blazing career conversion rate of 42.9% from beyond the arc. With a career-high scoring average of 15 ppg back in 2006, Korver is clearly past his prime as he began to give retirement a serious thought not long ago.

"There's a real cost as you get older," Korver said, per the Deseret News. "There's what you need to put into the game, but there's also a family cost. That's probably where I'm at is weighing that cost."

Recently, Korver was traded to Memphis in a trade package that brought Conley to Utah. He scored almost 10 points per game coming off the bench during the 54 regular season games he played with the Jazz after Cleveland traded him midway through the season.

According to The New York Times, which cited an unidentified source with knowledge of his thinking, the veteran is likely to play another season and maybe even two despite saying he would consider retirement this offseason.

With rumors of a possible reunion with LeBron on the cards as well, the veteran has shown recent signs of hope, enough to pull through for another season at the very least.

#4 Pau Gasol - 39 years (July 6, 1980)

Pau Gasol is recovering from a left foot procedure to repair a stress fracture

Boasting solid career averages of 17 points and 9.2 rebounds per game, Gasol has punched his name amongst some of the game's most skilled big men. Throughout his career, he shot at an accuracy of over 50% from the field, playing an average of over 33 minutes per contest.

Having already won back-to-back titles with the Lakers in 2009 and 2010, Gasol is still hungry as he vows to find more rings with Milwaukee during his newest venture. Pau just wrapped up his 18th season in the league and is an 6-time All-Star.

"I made the decision to leave San Antonio to join this project (Milwaukee Bucks) that I believe has real potential to win the NBA title. This season we were close."

As of latest reports, Gasol - who turned 39 on July 6 - "cannot wait to start training again". Despite playing just three games with the Bucks this season and averaging a career-low 3.9 points and 4.6 rebounds in 30 games this season, the 2002 Rookie of the Year is still going strong.

#3 Udonis Haslem - 39 years (June 9, 1980)

Udonis Haslem went undrafted back in 2002

Haslem has been a sturdy part of the iconic Heat franchise that sported Wade and LeBron on its way to winning three titles in 2006, 2012 and 2013. Being born in Miami, UD's name resonates with the Heat culture and the warrior mentality that the organization stands for.

Expectedly so, his absence on the scoring boards for the past few seasons has aroused doubts as to where he should retire to free up a Miami Heat roster spot for a younger and efficient player.

He has played a total of 24 games over the past two seasons and averaged 1.4 points in over 6 minutes per contest. Nevertheless, Pat Riley still sees him as a mentor and the locker room force of the team.

#2 Jamal Crawford - 39 years (March 20, 1980)

Jamal Crawford is a 3-time NBA's Sixth Man of the Year award winner

When Lou Williams won the Sixth Man of the Year award this year, he tied Crawford's record for the same honor. Jamal is an ageless wonder that continues to be a walking-talking bucket maker for 19 seasons now.

Amongst all active players, he is sixth in minutes played with a whopping 38,988 to his name as he averages 14.6 ppg coming off the bench throughout his career. This past season, Crawford saw his scoring numbers drop to a career-low of 7.9 points as he clocked just above 18 minutes per contest. However, his 3.6 assists per game were the highest in 10 years from when he was the leading guy for the Knicks.

Despite the apparent rustiness, the 39-year-old still has enough miles left in his tires to be an integral part of whichever team (probably Sixers, Thunder, Nets, Lakers) chooses to pick him up this offseason.

#1 Vince Carter - 42 years (January 26, 1977)

Vince Carter has already announced that the upcoming season will be his last

The 21-year veteran is a physical specimen like none other. Just recently, he played through a grueling 76-game regular season and was second on the Hawks roster in terms of three-point shooting percentage (38.9).

Per Cleaning the Glass, the team’s -4.2 defensive points per possession allowed with Vince on the floor was in the 86th percentile among forwards – another number that was first on the Atlanta Hawks last season.

Across his long and illustrious career, Vince has averaged a respectable 17.2 points per game apart from being a widely-feared high-flying dunker - which he still continues to be at age 42. So far, Carter has played for a total of eight teams and is currently an impending free agent once again.

"I've got one more in me," Carter said on a panel with host Rachel Nichols and former NBA journeyman Stephen Jackson. "One more run."