15 Ballers Who Deserve a Job in the NBA in the 2013-14 Season

Today is Delonte West's 30th birthday and the tough combo guard recently expressed his desire to play in the NBA again. Last year was rough for Delonte. He flirted with returning only to be rejected. Rumors flew about where he would land but nothing came to fruition. Given his situation, we thought about other guys we would like to see next season. Either for nostalgic reasons or simply becasue they deserve it. Vets like Gilbert Arenas and Stephen Jackson need to come back so they can act ratchet and entertain us. And youngsters like Scott Machado and Chris Douglas-Roberts are better than a lot of bums with contracts. We also included some legends that should come back just for one last hurrah. Check out 15 Ballers Who Deserve a Job in the NBA in the 2013-14 Season.

Written by Angel Diaz (@ADiaz456)

RELATED: 10 Current NBA Vets Who Deserve a Championship

2013 whereabouts: In and out of court trying to piece his life back together.
Age: 38

All we need is one last hurrah from The Answer. He left the game unceremoniously and left a bitter taste in our mouths. At 38 and out of the L since 2010, Iverson needs a check in the worst way. If Eddy Curry can still get a check then why not A.I.? He can give a team some experience and 10 off the bench. Iverson needs to come back for one more year and leave on a good note with money in his pocket.

2013 whereabouts: Briefly played for Knicks after Rasheed Wallace retired.
Age: 31

Earl Barron has played for every team at least twice it seems. The journeyman is in his early 30s and his last couple stints have been impressive. He plays hard and grabs rebounds in bunches. For a league that'll give anybody over 6'9" a contract, it's hard to believe Barron can't get one. In one game with the Knicks last season he scored 11 points and grabbed 18 boards. And when he played for New York 2010 for 11 games he averaged 11 points and 11 rebounds.

2013 whereabouts: Playing for CSKA Moscow in Russia.
Age: 27

Sonny last played in the L in 2011 and averaged nine points per game with the Raptors. He's currently playing for CSKA Moscow in Russia. We respect a guy that doesn't quit on his dreams. With a little hard work and a team needing a shooting guard/small foward to come off the bench, Weems can find himself with an NBA contract in the near future.

2013 whereabouts: Owner of the Bobcats.
Age: 50

Duh. At 50, MJ beat Michael Kidd-Gilchrist in one-on-one and could probably still drop 10 on that ass with the fade-away alone. He hinted at it in his Hall of Fame speech. Now with the Bobcats changing to the Hornets, maybe Mike has a Jackie Moon trick up his sleeve. That'll put asses in seats.

2013 whereabouts: Playing for Sutor Montegranaro in Italy.
Age: 25

Although suffering a Kevin Ware-like injury back in 2011, he should still get a chance to play in the L. Edgar Sosa was a good player at Louisville but for whatever reason didn't get drafted in 2010. He was their starting point guard and helped the Cardinals get into the Elite 8 in 2009. He now plays for the Domincan national team and overseas with Sutor Montegranaro in Italy.

2013 whereabouts: Playing for the Zhejiang Lions in China.
Age: 28

Gary Forbes catches wreck in NYC summer leagues yearly and shows flashes of what he can do every once in awhile. He played in China last year for the Zhejiang Lions. Forbes is a talented guard/forward that could score in multiple ways, but seems to have a hard time sticking in the league. Maybe it's because of his defense, but given an opportunity he can give a squad quality minutes.

2013 whereabouts: Played 14 games with the Brooklyn Nets but was released.
Age: 30

We need Josh's 'fro and his Jordans in the L again so we could put him on another one of these lists. We kid (not really). But for real, he was decent (averaging 9.2 PPG and 4.8 RPG in 26 MPG) before he chose to play ball in Greece. He must miss the Meditterainian and the women because he hasn't been able to stick in the league since returning in 2010. He's a capable player that can be a key contributor somewhere. The Nets could've used him last season but decided to waive him.

2013 whereabouts: China and the end of the San Antonio Spurs bench.
Age: 34

Why? Because T-Mac needs a ring, that's why. He was oh-so-close last season as a member of the Spurs and was doing his thing in China prior to that (FWIW). We feel like Tracy could give a contender 15 solid minutes of veteran ball. He shouldn't be relegated to garbage time like some D-Leaguer. Sidebar: How crazy is it that T-Mac and Kobe were once considered to be on the same level?

2013 whereabouts: At home collecting his millions. No really.
Age: 31

He should come back for his Twitter presence alone. Agent Zero's knee is shot but he still has a little game left. Ever since he brought guns into the Wizards locker room, he can't get a job. He took 2013 off and was still one of the top five highest-paid NBA players. He recently bought a sick house in L.A. So he's either not worried about the L or he wants to play for one of the teams that occupy the Staples Center. or he wants to do drive-bys down Crenshaw. We kid. Seriously though, this three-time All-Star was one of the top players in the league less than a decade ago.

2013 whereabouts: The end of the San Antonio's bench warming up T-Mac's seat.
Age: 35

Cap'n Jack! Easily one of the best personalities in all of sports, he should be able to contribute on a squad not located in San Antonio. Jackson can still give a team 15 a game (he has a career average of 17.1 PPG) if he's up for it. But he's probably more into his rap career anyway.

2013 whereabouts: Played briefly for the Dallas Mavericks before being waived.
Age: 26

CDR was the unsung hero of that 2008 Memphis squad that lost to Kansas in the NCAA Championship game. He has an awkward shot but is a straight up scorer. He averaged 14.2 PPG throughout his collegiate career and shot 53.9 percent from the field. Weird injuries (swine flu and a retina tear) and his ego have held him back, but he's currently on the Lakers summer league team in hopes to land a job in the L.

2013 whereabouts: The end of the Golden State Warriors bench.
Age: 23

He got an opportunity with the Golden State Warriors late last season but was recently waived. Machado was one of the nation's top point guards two years running (2011 & 2012), and was a finalist for the Bob Cousy award and Wooden award his senior year (2012). However, he was penalized for playing in the weak MAAC. He had short stints with the Rockets, in the D-League, and the aforementioned Warriors last season. We expect him to make someone's roster this upcoming season.

2013 whereabouts: All over the news and at the end of the Wizards bench.
Age: 34

On impact alone, Jason Collins should be able to sit on someone's bench. At 34, he can still give a team garbage minutes. He recently came out of the closet, becoming the first active gay American pro athlete to come out. His announcement sent shockwaves throughout the sports world. Him being an active player next season would speak volumes even though he won't be a regular contributor.

2013 whereabouts: Recovering from his fifth knee surgery.
Age: 25

We haven't given up on Greg and neither should you. Who are we to tell someone to give up on their dreams? When he's healthy, Oden's one of the best defensive centers around. If he could keep his body together somehow, the former No. 1 pick could provide quality defense off the bench. We're sure the 2007 NCAA All-American won't have a problem landing a low-risk contract with a contender next year, IF healthy.

2013 whereabouts: Home in Washington D.C.
Age: 30

It's a travesty that Delonte West isn't in the league. The guy plays so hard and, by many accounts, is a teammate that you would want to go to war with. He can come off the bench to give you 10 points and four assists per game (his career averages are 9.7 and 3.6).

His past and his bipolar disorder have caused teams to proceed with caution, but we feel he's worth the risk. There are players with more serious issues in the L that don't go as hard as Delonte. He's a combo guard that can do a little bit of everything, including solid defense. We really hope he can find a home.