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Over time, the NBA has seen players take on multiple positions, while others fail at it, and some excel in these positions. We have seen a good number interchangeably play multiple positions like naturals.
Why don't we take a look at five players who have excelled in two positions for two different franchises?
Looking at five NBA players through history who excelled in two positions for two different teams
#1 PJ Tucker
P.J. Tucker has featured in the NBA for 12 seasons, representing four different franchises, having spent five seasons with the Phoenix Suns, four seasons with the Houston Rockets, two seasons with the Toronto Raptors and a season with the Milwaukee Bucks. During this time he has had to play in three positions - small forward, power forward and shooting guard.
Although he has played in three positions, he has excelled in two, as a small forward and power forward. During his time with the Suns, Tucker led the team in steals in both the 2013-14 and 2015-16 seasons as a small forward while he was second-best in rebounds for three consecutive seasons (2014, 2015, 2016). Tucker featured in 43 games for the Bucks, 23 of which were postseason. He quickly grew into a fan favorite and played his role as a power forward in getting the Bucks their first championship since 1971 and his very first championship ring.
#2 Kevin Love
Kevin Love was the No. 5 overall pick in the 2008 NBA draft as selected by the Memphis Grizzlies and was later traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves. At the end of his debut season in the NBA, the Timberwolves center recorded the most double-doubles (29) by all first-year players in the league which was also the most by a rookie in the history of the franchise. He became the first rookie since Hakeem Olajuwon to register the highest offensive rebound percentage in the league.
Love was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers on August 23, 2014, in a three-trade deal. In the 2015-16 NBA season, the five-time All-Star led the team in rebounds and was second-best in points (1,234), behind LeBron James (1,920), helping the team finish as the first seed in the Eastern Conference. The Cavaliers' power forward recorded the second-most three-points (158), with J. R. Smith recording the most (204). Love and the Cavaliers went on to win the NBA championship after a historic 3-1 comeback against the Golden State Warriors.
#3 Lou Williams
Lou Williams was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers as the 45th overall pick in the 2005 NBA draft and has since then featured in the NBA for 16 seasons and 10 playoffs. In the time spent in the league, he has played for 6 franchises as a small forward and power forward.
Williams' debut season with the L.A. Clippers in the 2017-18 NBA season as a shooting guard saw him lead the team in points, assists, steals, field goals and three-point scoring. The three-time NBA Sixth Man of the Year was a point guard for the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2011-12 season and played a role in helping the team finish third in the NBA Atlantic Division. He led the team in points, second-best in three-points and third-best in field goals and assists.
#4 LeBron James
The four-time NBA champion LeBron James has represented three franchises in his 18 season run in the NBA - the Cavaliers, Heat and Lakers. He played different roles in his 18 year career and played them well. He spent 11 seasons with the Cavaliers, four seasons with the Heat and three seasons thus far with the Lakers.
In his second season with the Heat as a small forward in 2011-12, the 17-time All-Star player led the team to its second NBA championship title since 2006. He led the team in points, rebounds, assists, field goals and steals, and he also recorded the most points in the playoffs. In 2020, James played the role of point guard for the Lakers, where he led the team in points, assists, defensive rebounds, field goals and three-points. He registered the most assists in the league with an average of 10.2 assists per game.
#5 James Harden
James Harden has spent 13 seasons in the NBA thus far, nine of which he represented the Rockets, three with the Oklahoma City Thunder and just recently with the Brooklyn Nets. He has played two different roles in the above franchises - shooting guard and point guard.
He recorded most of his achievements with the Rockets and rightfully so. In the 2017-18 season, he played the role of a shooting guard with the Rockets and had an amazing outing the entire season, leading the league in points and going on to win the NBA MVP award of the year. The nine-time All-Star led the league in the 2016-17 season in assists with a record 11.2 assists per game. He surpassed his career-high of 30.4 points per game in the 2018-19 season, registering 36.1 points per game, and he was also the league's scoring champion for three seasons consecutively (2018, 2019, 2020).
His time with OKC saw him play the shooting guard role and in 2011-12 he was named the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year after being the second-best on the team in three-points and third-best in points, assists, steals and field goals all in two starts out of 66 appearances.
Guess the Lakers players!
