Suns and Lakers lack players over 30, Arizona Sports reports
As the National Basketball Association enters the season, the Phoenix Suns and the Los Angeles Lakers stand alone as the only two teams without a single player over the age of 30, according to reporting by Arizona Sports. Head coach Jordan Ott and his roster face a trend where traditional elder statesmen are vanishing from locker rooms.
Dillon Brooks Emerges as Phoenix Roster Elder at Age 30
When asked during training camp to identify the oldest player on the Phoenix roster, team members paused for several seconds before landing on the correct answer. Dillon Brooks, born in 1996, holds the distinction at exactly 30 years old. Teammate Jalen Green seized the opportunity for locker room banter, joking that Brooks is old as hell.
Devin Booker holds more institutional knowledge within the franchise as he enters his 12th NBA season, maintaining a two-year advantage in league experience over Brooks. Even so, Brooks edges him out by nine months in actual age. The dynamic reflects a trend across professional basketball, where front offices increasingly prioritize high-speed athleticism and youthful depth over veteran minimum contracts designed purely for mentorship.
League Trends Phasing Out Traditional Bench Mentors
League-wide data shows that 14 of the 30 NBA teams enter the season without a single player aged 35 or older. Only five franchises carry more than three players past the age of 30. The modern NBA relies on raw speed, intense competition for roster spots, and two-way contract players who can immediately contribute on the floor.
Rookies and younger rotation players like Oso Ighodaro acknowledge that while they grew up hearing about the classic wily veteran, today’s younger leaders fill that void effectively. Brooks describes himself as a young-old guy, emphasizing that leadership comes down to a willingness to guide younger teammates regardless of calendar age or exact year count.
Isolated Holdouts of the Capital-P Presence
A dwindling handful of older journeymen still occupy specific mentorship roles across the league. Entering training camp, the New Orleans Pelicans retained 38-year-old center DeAndre Jordan, while the Indiana Pacers held 39-year-old forward James Johnson primarily for his intense off-court presence. Following final roster cuts, Johnson was temporarily let go to create temporary roster flexibility, though the franchise reportedly plans to bring him back once financial maneuvers allow.
Players like Johnson and former Suns center Bismack Biyombo—who spent last season mentoring Victor Wembanyama in San Antonio—prove that certain franchises still value unyielding physical accountability behind closed doors. In Phoenix, however, the modern reality is clear. The younger core must generate its own competitive grit, relying on thirty-something leaders to set the standard.
James Johnson and Jordan Goodwin Bring Levity to Teammates
Indiana forward James Johnson maintained his veteran presence by running the music on a portable speaker for players sitting at their lockers before a game in Phoenix two seasons ago. Jordan Goodwin also experienced a moment of surprise during training camp, initially guessing Devin Booker before exclaiming, It’s not Dillon, is it? Oh my god!