The 2022–23 NBA season is right around the corner, and fans will soon get to see the game’s biggest stars back in action. Every season, more players join that exclusive group by making their first all-star team, while some established stars begin to slow down.
Next season will be no different, and there are several NBA stars who could begin to tail off, some due to age, while others due to trying to fit in on a new team or in a new system. With that in mind, let’s take a look at three all-stars on the verge of a major drop-off next season.
NBA All-star #3: Dejounte Murray
After being traded from the San Antonio Spurs to the Atlanta Hawks, Dejounte Murray will now be paired with fellow All-star Trae Young. They’ll make for an interesting fit, and while it could ultimately work, Murray is still likely to see a drop-off next season. Why? Because he put up eye-popping numbers in San Antonio as the team’s number one option, but now has to share the ball with a player like Trae Young, who’s better than him.
However, Murray wasn’t acquired just for his scoring, rebounding, and passing. The hope is that he’ll be able to improve the Hawks’ defense by checking the opposing team’s best guard. That will make life easier for Young, who is a notoriously bad defender. If Murray can, then that could help justify a risky trade and help raise the Hawks’ ceiling, even if his individual stats take a hit.
After all, in his last full season as a number two option, during the 2020–21 season, Murray averaged 15.7 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 5.4 assists. Obviously, he’s improved since then, but his averages of 21.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 9.2 assists were probably inflated last season.
The truth could be somewhere in the middle, with him possibly averaging around 19 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists. That’s still very good, of course, but considering he barely made the all-star team last season, he may not be one next season.