15 players the Dallas Mavericks signed past their prime

8. Vince Carter

Vince Carter is known for being one of the greatest dunkers of all time and was a walking highlight reel for his entire career, but Dallas definitely signed him past his prime.

Dallas signed Carter to a three-year deal in 2011, and he was entering his age-35 season. Carter was four years removed from his eighth All-Star appearance, and his production was way down from his days with the Toronto Raptors and New Jersey Nets.

At Carter's peak, he averaged over 25 points per game and shot over 40 percent from downtown. He was already a force in the league within his first few seasons, and his prime stretched to his early days in New Jersey.

Once Carter left New Jersey, his career trajectory started slowing down quickly. This is normal for players as they get older, and his age was finally starting to catch up with him.

Carter was not a bad player by any means during his three seasons in Dallas, as he averaged 12.0 points and 3.7 rebounds, but he was nowhere near the player he was in Toronto and New Jersey.

Carter was a great veteran presence in Dallas and hit one of the biggest shots in franchise history against the San Antonio Spurs in the 2014 NBA Playoffs.