Steve Nash the NBA’s oldest player under contract for next season

According to the New York Knicks, Jason Kidd will retire after 19 seasons in the NBA.

Grant Hill, who shared the rookie of the year honor with Kidd in 1995, also retired over the weekend.

That leaves just one player left in the league from the 1994 draft class -- Miami Heat veteran Juwan Howard. Howard is a year older than Lakers guard Steve Nash, but shares the same birthday.

Nash, born Feb. 7, 1974, is now the second-oldest player in the league, and with Kidd and Hill retiring (both 40), the oldest player under contract past the current season. Nash still has two more seasons on his deal with the Lakers for a total of $19 million.

In his first year with the Lakers, the veteran point guard struggled to stay healthy -- missing 32 regular season games (broken leg, hip, hamstring, nerve issues). By the postseason he just didn’t have the strength to play and the Lakers were swept by the San Antonio Spurs.

Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash were drafted in 1996. The 1995 draft class is represented by Kevin Garnett, who still has another two years left on his deal with the Boston Celtics, and Jerry Stackhouse, whose contract with the Brooklyn Nets is expiring. Kurt Thomas was also drafted in 1995 but has yet to formally retire.

Other players drafted in 1996 who haven’t retired include Derek Fisher, Marcus Camby and Ray Allen.

Bryant has played through 17 seasons but at 34, he’s not among the 20 oldest players in the NBA -- Jason Terry, Paul Pierce, Vince Carter, Manu Ginobili, Tim Duncan, Andre Miller, Chauncey Billups, Kenyon Martin and a number of others are older than Bryant.

ALSO:

Darius Morris working regularly at the Lakers’ training facility

Heat faltering may leave Lakers in position to lure LeBron James

Court date set in Kobe Bryant, Pamela Bryant memorabilia dispute

Email Eric Pincus at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @EricPincus.