5 Suns who could be forced into retirement after the season

2. Thaddeus Young

Could this be the end of a 17-year NBA career for Young? The 35-year-old has been a consistent role player since being a lottery pick in 2007, and the Suns are his eighth different team. Fans have seen his production slowly decline in recent years, but it has reached a new low.

Young is not in the nightly rotation. He struggled to get minutes on the Raptors before being traded to Brooklyn at the deadline. The Nets bought him out and opened the door for him to join the Suns on a rest-of-the-season contract. He has played in just five games and never in back-to-back contests since coming to the Valley of the Sun.

Fans want him to play more, but it is fair to question how much Young has left in the tank. For years, he has been a strong rebounder and versatile defender. The 35-year-old has helped his team reach the playoffs nine times and his experience can be crucial to a contender.

Thaddeus Young must prove he can still contribute if he wants to find a veteran minimum contract in the offseason. The 35-year-old could retire on his own or he may be forced to if he fails to show anything down the stretch and into the postseason.