Who Is 31 in the NBA?
31 is a special number in the NBA. It’s the number of max contracts a team can hand out. It’s the number of players on an NBA roster. It’s also the age at which many NBA players start to decline.
Kyrie Irving
Kyrie Irving currently plays for the Brooklyn Nets as their starting point guard. Irving was born on March 23, 1992, in Melbourne, Australia to American parents. He played his high school basketball at St. Patrick’s in Elizabeth, New Jersey. From there, he went on to play collegiately at Duke University. After one year at Duke, Irving was selected with the first overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Kyrie’s trade to the Boston Celtics
On August 22, 2017, Irving was traded to the Boston Celtics in exchange for Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic and the Brooklyn Nets’ 2018 first-round draft pick. The trade was officially completed on September 1 after Thomas failed a physical with the Cavaliers due to his injured right hip.
Kyrie’s impact on the Celtics
Kyrie Irving had a lot of impact on the Boston Celtics. He was their leading scorer and playmaker. He was also one of the best clutch shooters in the league. When Kyrie was traded to the Celtics, it signified a change of direction for the franchise. The young core that the Celtics had been developing was now being supplemented by an All-Star caliber talent.
Jimmy Butler
Jimmy Butler is a professional basketball player who is currently playing for the Miami Heat in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is 31 years old and was born on September 14, 1989, in Houston, Texas. Butler is 6 feet 8 inches tall and weighs 220 pounds.
Jimmy’s trade to the Minnesota Timberwolves
On June 22, 2017, the Chicago Bulls traded Butler and the rights to the 16th overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn and Lauri Markkanen. Timberwovles coach and president of basketball operations Tom Thibodeau had been interested in Butler since he was first hired by Minnesota, and had been trying to trade for him since the 2016 NBA draft.
Jimmy’s impact on the Timberwolves
Jimmy Butler has been a revelation for the Minnesota Timberwolves, quickly becoming one of the best players in the NBA. In just his second season with the team, Butler was named an All-Star and helped lead the Timberwolves to their first playoff appearance in 14 years.
Butler is a versatile player who can score, rebound and defend at a high level. He’s also a tremendous leader, both on and off the court. His impact on the Timberwolves has been enormous, and they are lucky to have him as their franchise player.
Kemba Walker
The Charlotte Hornets’ Kemba Walker is 31 years old. He was born on May 8, 1990, in the Bronx, New York. Walker is 6 feet 1 inches tall and weighs 184 pounds. He played college basketball at the University of Connecticut.
Kemba’s trade to the Charlotte Hornets
After Kemba’s freshman year, he entered the 2011 NBA draft and was selected ninth overall by the Charlotte Bobcats (now the Charlotte Hornets). Walker became the first Bobcat to be voted an All-Star starter in 2015. He was traded to the Boston Celtics in 2019.
Kemba’s impact on the Hornets
Kemba Walker has been the Charlotte Hornets’ best player for many years now, and he has had a profound impact on the franchise. Kemba was drafted by the Hornets in 2011 and he immediately became the team’s starting point guard. Kemba quickly established himself as one of the NBA’s best young players, and he has continued to improve every year.
Kemba is a dynamic scoring point guard who can also dish out assists and play solid defense. He is one of the NBA’s most entertaining players to watch, and he always seems to come up big in clutch situations. Kemba is beloved by Hornets fans, and he has helped turn the franchise around after many years of struggle.
The Hornets have made the playoffs in each of the past three seasons, and they have done so largely thanks to Kemba’s play. He is one of the league’s most underrated stars, and he has established himself as one of the NBA’s best players. There is no doubt that Kemba Walker is the Charlotte Hornets’ most important player, and he will continue to be their leader for years to come.
DeMar DeRozan
DeMar Dwayne DeRozan is an American professional basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association. He played college basketball for the Southern California Trojans.
DeMar’s trade to the Toronto Raptors
In 2009, the Toronto Raptors drafted DeMar DeRozan with the ninth overall pick in the NBA draft. DeRozan was traded to the San Antonio Spurs on July 18, 2018, in exchange for Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green.
DeMar’s impact on the Raptors
Since being drafted by the Raptors in 2009, DeMar DeRozan has been one of the most important players in franchise history. He’s a four-time All-Star, and he helped lead the team to its first-ever NBA Finals appearance in 2019.
DeRozan is the Raptors’ all-time leader in points, assists, and steals. He’s also one of the most popular players in team history, and he’s still beloved by Raptors fans even though he was traded to the San Antonio Spurs in 2018.
DeRozan is still just 31 years old, and he’s currently averaging 21.4 points per game for the Spurs. There’s a good chance that he’ll continue to be a productive player in the NBA for many years to come.
Paul George
Paul George is an American professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association (NBA). George was drafted by the Indiana Pacers with the 10th overall pick in the 2010 NBA draft. He suffered a horrific leg injury during a Team USA scrimmage in 2014, but returned to All-Star form the following season. George is a five-time NBA All-Star and has been named to four All-NBA Teams. He was also named the NBA Most Improved Player in 2013.
Paul’s trade to the Oklahoma City Thunder
In the summer of 2017, Paul George was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis. The trade was widely seen as a win-win for both teams, as the Thunder acquired a top-10 player to pair with Russell Westbrook, while the Pacers received two young players with tremendous upside.
In his first season with the Thunder, George averaged 21.9 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game while shooting 44.0 percent from the field and 38.6 percent from three-point range. He was also named to the All-Star team for the fourth time in his career.
The following season, George averaged 28.0 points, 8.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game while shooting 47.4 percent from the field and 40.1 percent from three-point range. He was once again named to the All-Star team and was also named First Team All-NBA for the first time in his career.
During the 2019-20 season, George averaged 22 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists per game while shooting 45 percent from the field and 39 percent from three-point range. He missed significant time due to injury, but when he was on the court he proved to be one of the Thunder’s most important players.
Looking ahead to next season, George is expected to play a major role on a Thunder team that will once again be one of the contenders in the Western Conference.
Paul’s impact on the Thunder
Paul George had an immediate impact on the Oklahoma City Thunder when he joined the team in 2017. George helped the Thunder win 48 games and reach the playoffs that season. The following year, George was even better, averaging 28 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists per game while leading the Thunder to a postseason berth once again. He was named an All-Star for the fourth time in his career and finished third in MVP voting.
George is one of the best two-way players in the NBA. He can score from anywhere on the court and is an excellent defender. He has emerged as one of the leaders of the Thunder, and they are a better team when he is on the court.
