10 Current NBA Vets Who Deserve a Championship

It is Tracy McGrady’s 16th season in the NBA, it’s also the closest the seven-time All-Star and two-time scoring champion has come to collecting his first championship ring. After signing with the San Antonio Spurs on April 16, 2013, just before their season finale, McGrady became eligible to represent the Spurs in the playoffs. Since that April signing, the Spurs have gone on a 12-2 playoff run that has brought them all the way to a 1-0 lead in the NBA Finals against the Miami Heat.

Now just three victories away from finally being able to add NBA champion to his resume, T-Mac must feel like he can see the finish line. The 34-year-old isn’t getting any younger, and it’s more than probable that if the Spurs win this series, the former Qingdao Eagles small forward will go out in a blaze of glory. In light of McGrady finally on the verge of capturing his first NBA ring, we decided to take a look around the league and come up with 10 Current NBA Vets Who Deserve a Championship.

Written by Adam Silvers (@silversurfer103)

NBA experience: 18 Seasons (1995 - Present)
Teams played for: Miami Heat (1995-1997), Dallas Mavericks (1997-1998), New York Knicks (1998-2005), Phoenix Suns (2005-2007), Seattle SuperSonics (2007-2008), San Antonio Spurs (2008-2009), Milwaukee Bucks (2009-2010), Chicago Bulls (2010-2011), Portland Trail Blazers (2011-2012), New York Knicks (2012-2013)

After re-upping with the Knicks for the second time in his career this past season, Kurt Thomas became the oldest player in the NBA at 40 years old and change. Known throughout his tenure in the Association as a hard-nosed battler on the boards, Kurt has never been about numbers or individual accolades, just a commitment to winning.

During his first run with the Knicks he made back-to-back Eastern Conference Finals Appearances (1999, 2000), and one trip to the NBA Finals in '99 where his eighth-seeded Knicks fell to the Spurs in five. Thomas has called nine different cities home over the course of his 18-year career, and after being waived by the Knicks this past April, he will likely have to seek refuge in a 10th if he's going to continue his quest to lift the Larry O'Brien Trophy.

NBA experience: 15 Seasons (1998 - Present)
Teams played for: Golden State Warriors (1998-2003), Dallas Mavericks (2003-2004), Washington Wizards (2004-2010), Cleveland Cavaliers (2010-2012), Los Angeles Lakers (2012-present)

15-year veteran and former Sixth Man of the Year (2004), Antawn Jamison, must've thought going into this season that it would be his best shot at finally capturing that illusive NBA title. Unfortunately for him, and a few other Lakers on this list, it wasn't meant to be. The mere fact that Jamison has been to the playoffs four times with the Wizards should be reason enough for his worthiness to be called NBA champion, including the 2006-07 postseason when he averaged a gaudy 32 PPG during the four games the Wiz were swept by Bron Bron and Co.

You can blame it on a lack of supporting cast, aside from that one year he played with LeBron, or maybe the fact that his acquisition from Washington pretty much forced King James out of Cleveland. Jamison, who is pushing 37 years old and averaged his lowest totals for minutes per game in his career last season (21.5), will probably have to take on even more of a minimal role if he is still thinking about trying to compete for his first title.

NBA Experience: 13 Seasons (1999 - Present)
Teams played for: Charlotte / New Orleans Hornets (1999-2005), Golden State Warriors (2005-2008), Los Angeles Clippers (2008-2011), Cleveland Cavaliers (2010-2011), New York Knicks (2011-2012)

A two-time All-Star (2002, 2004), and two-time NBA steals leader (2004, 2007), Baron Davis' most prolific years are clearly behind him. In 2007 he led the eighth-seeded Golden State Warriors to the Western Conference Semifinals averaging 25.3 ppg, and he's amassed over 5,000 career assists during his 13-year career. Davis was last seen in the league on May 6, 2012 during the Knicks lone win against the Miami Heat in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. It was during this game that B. Diddy completely tore his ACL and MCL, and partially tore his patellar tendon in his right knee. With the recovery time for such an injury being about a year, Davis will look to make his return to the NBA hardwood at the start of next season hoping a legitimate contender is willing to give him another shot at the ultimate prize.

NBA experience: 18 Seasons (1995 - Present)
Teams played for: Philadelphia 76ers (1995-1998), Detroit Pistons (1998-2002), Washington Wizards (2002-2004), Dallas Mavericks (2004-2009), Milwaukee Bucks (2009-2010), Miami Heat (2010-2011), Atlanta Hawks (2011-2012), Brooklyn Nets (2012-present)

If the third overall pick in the 1995 NBA Draft doesn't capture a ring soon, which is probably a year or two max, we fear that he will best be remembered for playing a key role on a Dallas Mavericks squad that choked away a 2-0 lead against the Heat in the 2006 NBA Finals. Then lost to the eighth-seeded Warriors in the first round the following season.

An 18-year veteran, and former Sports Illustrated College Player of the Year (1995), Jerry Stackhouse is the definition of an NBA journeyman. Stack has played for eight different teams since he came into the league with the Sixers in 1995, and while his numbers have significantly been on the decline since the 2006-07 season, he still has an opportunity to capture his first ring. Whether he plays in Brooklyn, or another contender enlists his veteran services, is anyone's guess.

NBA Experience: 14 Seasons (1999 - Present)
Teams played for: Cleveland Cavaliers (1999-2002), Los Angeles Cippers (2002-2003), Denver Nuggets (2003-2006), Philadelphia 76ers (2006-2009), Portland Trail Blazers (2009-2011), Denver Nuggets (2011-present)

A 14-year veteran of the Association, there's little that Andre Miller hasn't seen during his NBA tenure, except for a championship ring that is. The swingman has played for five different clubs, was crowned the NBA assists leader after the 2002 season, and is now in his second stint with the Denver Nuggets. Miller started off this years playoffs on fire, averaging 14 ppg and hitting the game-winning layup in Game 1 of Denver's first round series against the Warriors. However, an astounding 38-3 regular season home record, and a stellar post-season performance by Miller, wouldn't be enough to save the Nuggets from going down in six to Golden State. With George Karl and the Nuggets having recently parted ways, 37-year-old Andre Miller's odds of ever attaining the ultimate prize seem to be hanging in the balance.

NBA experience: 15 Seasons (1998 - Present)
Teams played for: Toronto Raptors (1998-2004), New Jersey Nets (2004-2009), Orlando Magic (2009-2010), Phoenix Suns (2010-2011), Dallas Mavericks (2011-present)

An eight-time All-Star and former Rookie of the Year (1999), Vinsanity slammed onto the scene with the Raptors in the late '90s. He electrified the SkyDome/Air Canada Centre with his highlight dunks, and took the Raptors to Game 7 of the 2001 Eastern Conference Semifinals where they fell to Iverson's Sixers. Carter also helped lead the Magic to the 2010 Eastern Conference Finals, before bowing out to the Celtics in six.

At 36 years old, the lights on Vince Carter's shot at NBA glory aren't as dim as they might seem; this season he surpassed Clyde Drexler on the NBA's career scoring list, and he tied his career high of 162 three pointers made in a single season, a feat he first achieved in the 2001-02 season. Hey, contenders, give this man that one-year shot at glory.

NBA experience: 11 Seasons (2002 - Present)
Teams played for: Phoenix Suns (2002-2010), New York Knicks (2010-present)

A combination of back and knee injuries over recent years has forced six-time NBA All-Star and former Rookie of the Year (2003), Amar'e Stoudemire, to take more of a backseat role then he would probably like at this stage of his career. In what was supposed to be the beginning of the revitalization of the New York Knicks, STAT joined the orange and blue in 2010 and famously decreed, "the Knicks are back!"

After starting off strong, including setting a franchise record of nine straight 30-point games during his first year with the Knicks, Stoudemire has since taken second chair to Carmelo Anthony. While STAT was hampered again with injuries during this season, he did provide the Knicks with some minutes off the bench down the stretch and into the playoffs. Whatever his role is going forward, and whether the power forward will ever be "healthy" again, doesn't take away from his worthiness to taste the ultimate NBA prize.

NBA experience: 8 Seasons (2005 - Present)
Teams played for: New Orleans Hornets (2005-2011), Los Angeles Clippers (2011-present)

There's no doubt that CP3 is a championship-caliber point guard, but that doesn't guarantee that the six-time All-Star is going to lift the Larry O'Brien trophy anytime soon. Having already been screwed over by arguably the worst owner in sports, Donald Sterling, and having to play second fiddle as the other team in LA, Paul now heads into the offseason with no head coach and a plethora of questions surrounding the Clips.

He's now led the forgotten sons of LA to the playoffs for two consecutive seasons, and helped secure the Clippers first Division title in franchise history. However, as success grows, so do expectations. After going up 2-0 against the Grizzlies in the first round of this season's playoffs only to lose the next four games in a row and bow out in six, you can bet CP3 will do plenty of reflecting before the start of the 2013-14 campaign.

NBA experience: 10 Seasons (2003 - Present)
Teams played for: Denver Nuggets (2003-2011), New York Knicks (2011-present)

Of the first five selected in the 2003 NBA Draft, Darko Milicic included, Carmelo Anthony is now the only player yet to capture an NBA title. Although this past season, arguably Melo's most prolific to date, saw him take the Knicks to the Eastern Conference Semifinals and take home the scoring title averaging 28.7 PPG, it will still be viewed as a disappointment.

Anthony is pushing 30, and the NBA world is starting to wonder whether the former NCAA champion can reach the pinnacle at the professional level. Perhaps the Knicks are still a few pieces short of solving the puzzle, because from an individual standpoint, there seems to be little more that the six-time All-Star and two-time Olympic gold medalist can do to bring success to Gotham.

NBA experience: 17 Seasons (1996 - Present)
Teams played for: Phoenix Suns (1996-1998), Dallas Mavericks (1998-2004), Phoenix Suns (2004-2012), Los Angeles Lakers (2012-present)

At 39 years old, the window on Steve Nash's chances of capturing an NBA title is closing. A two-time MVP (2005, 2006), eight-time All-Star, and five-time NBA assists leader, there are few things the mercurial point guard is missing from his storied list of achievements. There's just one glaring omission for the future Hall of Famer, an NBA ring.

Having made the Western Conference Finals twice, Nash made his most recent push for an NBA title by signing with the Lakers before the start of this season. In what was billed to be a "Dream Team" of sorts, this Lakers season was marred by injuries and immaturity, the mid-season firing of Mike Brown, and ended with the Lake Show being swept by the Spurs in the first round. In what he deemed "the most frustrating" season of his career, Nash missed a career-high 32 regular season games, and averaged his fewest assists (6.7) since the 1999-00 season. What will the future hold for the 17-year veteran?