15 players the Rockets landed past their prime

13. DeMarre Carroll

At his peak, DeMarre Carroll was a formidable 3-amd-D wing, and the 6-foot-8 forward first rose to prominence as a member of the Atlanta Hawks in 2013-14, when he averaged 11.1 points per game on 36.2 percent from deep, while being one of the Hawks' best defenders.

In Carroll's second season in Atlanta, the Hawks secured the top spot in the East, as he averaged 12.6 points while shooting 39.5 percent from downtown. Carroll became a valuable contributor for the Raptors and Nets also, continuing to provide defense and shooting.

Carroll also performed best under pressure, as he often shot better from deep and from the charity stripe in winning time.

The Rockets added Carroll on the buyout market after the San Antonio Spurs ultimately played themselves, giving him a multi-year deal worth $21 million, only to release him seven months later. Prime Carroll's 3-and-D ability and 6'10 wingspan should have been a boost for a Rockets team that had fully invested in the microball strategy, however he was unable to crack then coach Mike D'Antoni's rotation.

Which will happen when you're only shooting 25 percent from long-range.