2020-21 NBA Season: Top 5 free agents who could retire

Teams contending for the title seem to have their roster set for the 2021 NBA Playoffs after the trade deadline and the buyout market moves.

That leaves some renowned NBA free agents possibly looking at retirement as the most feasible option for their careers, given their age and the lack of interest from teams.

5 NBA free agents who could retire soon

Having already played for a considerable amount of time in the NBA, retirement could well be the next move for many free agents who have had an accomplished career in the league.

Though retirement might not be an easy option for these players, the decision could come soon for these NBA stars. Without further ado, let us start.

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#5 Ian Mahinmi

Mahinmi with the Washington Wizards in 2020.

Traditional big men will find it hard to stay relevant in today's NBA. One-dimensional bigs who are past their physical prime aren't remotely desirable anymore. Ian Mahinmi is one of those centers who could be facing retirement, at least from the NBA.

The Frenchman was drafted in the first round of the 2005 NBA draft by the San Antonio Spurs. He was a member of the 2011 Dallas Mavericks roster that won the NBA title. Mahinmi went on to play for a solid Indiana Pacers team from 2012 to 2016. He then signed a four-year, $64 million contract with the Washington Wizards.

Mahinmi last played in the NBA during the 2019-20 season. He played 72 games in his last two seasons with the Wizards and has been a free agent since the 2020 offseason.

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#4 C.J. Miles

Miles with the Washington Wizards in 2019.

Veteran guard C.J. Miles could still provide some good minutes for an NBA team off the bench. The league's current style of offensive systems, which are driven by three-pointers, could be a good fit for the 34-year-old, as he has made 36% of his three-point attempts in his 15-year career.

But the window might be closing for Miles, who has not been a coveted target in the current season. He has only played in 63 games in his last two seasons (he played only 10 games in the 2019-20 campaign).

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#3 Jamal Crawford

Crawford in 2017.

Jamal Crawford is a three-time winner of the Sixth Man of the Year award and he made a career out of providing terrific offense off the bench.

One of the best ball-handlers in league history, Crawford has played 20 seasons in the NBA, but the 41-year-old is no longer a desirable asset for teams. He appeared in only one game last season and remains without a team.

Crawford has played 1327 regular-season games and 74 postseason games in his career. He has played for the Chicago Bulls, New York Knicks, Golden State Warriors, Atlanta Hawks, Portland Trail Blazers, LA Clippers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Phoenix Suns and Brooklyn Nets.

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#2 Kyle Korver

Korver with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2018.

Kyle Korver is one of the greatest catch-and-shoot players in NBA history. The current style of play in the NBA is best suited to his offensive game. But the 40-year-old has not been signed by any team for the 2020-21 NBA season, and his career in the NBA may be coming to an end.

Korver was picked in the second round of the illustrious 2003 NBA draft by the New Jersey Nets. But the Philadelphia 76ers acquired his rights from the Nets and he played the first four and half years of his career at Philly.

He went on to play for the Utah Jazz, Chicago Bulls, Atlanta Hawks, Cleveland Cavaliers and finally the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2019-20 NBA season.

Korver made it to one All-Star Game and he holds the record for the highest three-point percentage in a single season, with 53.6% in the 2009-10 season. His career three-point shooting percentage is at 42.9%, the 10th-best in NBA history.

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#1 Tyson Chandler

Tyson Chandler with the Houston Rockets.

As mentioned above, traditional big men who can protect the rim and rebound, but can't shoot and space the floor for teammates, are no longer a target for most NBA teams.

Tyson Chandler would definitely be a target for any contender if he was in his prime, as he was a solid center defensively at his physical peak. Chandler is a former Defensive Player of the Year award winner (2011-12 season) and was also a pivotal part of the 2011 Dallas Mavericks' defense, which beat LeBron James and the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.

Chandler, 38, played 26 games with the Houston Rockets last season and has been a free agent since the 2020 offseason. This could be the end of the road for Chandler's illustrious NBA career.

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