8 NBA MVPs who won a championship after getting traded

With his trade to the LA Lakers, Russell Westbrook is set to become the first NBA MVP to be traded in three consecutive offseasons, as the LA Lakers have reportedly agreed on terms with the Washington Wizards for the blockbuster deal.

Westbrook's arrival now forms a 'Big Three' in LA alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the dynamic duo that won the 2020 NBA championship. The three superstars played together briefly when all three were members of the USA men's basketball team that won the gold medal at the 2012 Olympics.

NBA MVPs who won a title after being traded

Whether Westbrook will care about being traded for three straight offseasons should probably not be a debate, as his attitude towards criticism is quite firm.

Moreover, if the LA Lakers win the NBA championship, which would be Westbrook's first, then all the talk about this trade will certainly turn to the positive side instead of anything else.

'Russ' is definitely not the first NBA MVP to be traded in league history, and if the LA Lakers complete their main task with him, he'll not be the first MVP to reach his goal after a trade either.

In this article, we will take a look at the eight instances when an NBA MVP award winner got traded and eventually won an NBA championship.

Without further ado, let us start.

#1 Wilt Chamberlain

Wilt Chamberlain won the first of his four regular-season MVPs in his rookie campaign, the 1959-60 season. With the Philadelphia Warriors, Chamberlain certainly had his greatest individual years, putting up all kinds of scoring records, including his 100-point game and his average of 50.4 points per game in the 1961-62 season.

The team then relocated to San Francisco, and after two and a half years, he was traded back to his hometown, this time to play for the Philadelphia 76ers.

He joined the Sixers in 1965 and won his first NBA championship in 1967. On July 1968, Chamberlain was sent to the LA Lakers and he won another championship after being traded, this time winning it all in 1972 and taking the Finals MVP award honors.

#2 Oscar Robertson

Oscar Robertson started his unique NBA career with the Cincinnati Royals in 1960. After 10 years with the franchise and a regular-season MVP in the 1963-64 season, Robertson was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks in 1970.

The move paid off immediately for 'The Big O' and the Milwaukee Bucks, as he teamed up with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to dominate the 1970-71 NBA season and win the Bucks' first title in franchise history.

He then appeared in the 1974 NBA Finals with the Bucks before retiring from the NBA.

#3 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Kareem and 'The Big O' guided the 1971 Bucks to an NBA title.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar won an NBA championship, the regular-season MVP and the Finals MVP in his sophomore year with the Milwaukee Bucks. After another appearance in the NBA Finals and two other MVPs, Kareem was sent to the LA Lakers in 1975.

The move paid off for him five years later, as he won the NBA championship with the LA Lakers in 1980, after taking three more MVPs since arriving in LA. Abdul-Jabbar ended his career as the all-time leader in regular-season MVPs and won six championships in his career (five after the trade to the Lakers).

#4 Bob McAdoo

Assistant coach Bob McAdoo of the Miami Heat celebrates with LeBron James.

Bob McAdoo started off his NBA career with an incredible ability to score, and it earned the Buffalo Braves' forward the 1974-75 NBA MVP award.

He was traded to the New York Knicks in 1976, then to the Boston Celtics in 1979 and to the Detroit Pistons that same year. McAdoo signed with the New Jersey Nets in 1981 after the Pistons waived him, and the Nets traded him to the LA Lakers in December 1981.

With the LA Lakers, McAdoo took on the sixth man role and won two NBA championships with the 'Showtime' LA Lakers, alongside Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

#5 Moses Malone

Moses Malone looks on during Media Day for the All-Star Game.

Moses Malone had a short stint with the Buffalo Braves to start his NBA career and then went on to win two NBA MVPs with the Houston Rockets, while also appearing in the 1981 NBA Finals.

After winning the 1981-82 NBA MVP, Houston traded him to the Philadelphia 76ers, and he'd immediately deliver a title to the Sixers and win another MVP and Finals MVP.

Malone is the only player in NBA history to win consecutive MVPs with different teams, and the big man should be mentioned a lot more when discussing the greatest big men ever.

#6 Bill Walton

NBA Finals Game 2: Boston Celtics v Los Angeles Lakers.

Bill Walton's career was mostly defined by injuries that did not allow him to reach his full potential. Still, he was able to find success and glory with the Portland Trail Blazers early, winning an NBA title in his third year in the league, along with Finals MVP, and a regular-season MVP in his fourth year.

After missing his entire fifth season with a foot injury, Walton signed with the San Diego Clippers for the 1979-80 season. However, foot injuries hindered him again, and he played only 14 games between the 1978-79 and 1981-82 seasons.

The Clippers traded him to the Boston Celtics before the 1985-86 season. Walton became a member of one of the best teams in NBA history and won his second title.

#7 Shaquille O'Neal

2019 NBA Awards Presented By Kia On TNT - Inside

Shaquille O'Neal changed teams after the first four seasons of his career, but before winning three NBA championships, a regular-season MVP, and three Finals MVPs with the LA Lakers, he had signed with the team as a free agent.

However, before winning his fourth and final NBA title with the Miami Heat, the 1999-00 NBA MVP winner was traded from LA to South Beach for three players, a first-round pick and a second-round pick.

In his second year with Miami, O'Neal won the NBA championship alongside Dwyane Wade and veterans Gary Payton, Jason Williams and Alonzo Mourning. He was then traded from Miami to the Phoenix Suns and from Phoenix to the Cleveland Cavaliers near the end of his career.

#8 Kevin Garnett

Garnett with the Boston Celtics in 2012.

Kevin Garnett was the most recent NBA MVP award winner to be traded and win an NBA championship afterward. 'The Big Ticket' won the only MVP of his illustrious career in the 2003-04 NBA season with the Minnesota Timberwolves, after averaging 24 points, 13.9 rebounds, five assists, 1.5 steals, and 2.2 blocks per game.

Garnett was eventually traded to the Boston Celtics to form a 'Big Three' of veteran stars with Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. Together, the trio won the NBA title in their first year together and then played in another edition of the NBA Finals two years later.

At Boston, Garnett won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award. He was then traded to the Brooklyn Nets and later returned to the T-Wolves via trade.