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Winning an NBA championship is one of the most fulfilling achievements for a basketball player. But for a few, it is also an opportunity to embark on another challenge.
Most players opt to remain with the teams they won a championship with, and attempt a re-run. That worked exceptionally well for the Chicago Bulls, who won two three-peats between 1991 and 1998. LeBron James and the Miami Heat also won back-to-back NBA championships with the core of their winning group intact.
Michael Jordan is a great example of a player who left his team after winning an NBA championship. But in his case, he chose to retire after winning the title, doing so in 1993 and 1998.
While roster changes are inevitable, here are the top five NBA players who changed teams immediately after winning a championship.
#5 PJ Tucker
PJ Tucker was an unsung hero in the Milwaukee Bucks' 2020 NBA championship triumph. Unfortunately, the forward was not re-signed in free agency.
According to The Athletic's Sam Amick, the sole reason for the Bucks not getting Tucker back on their roster was because of luxury tax concerns. While that is as valid a reason as any team can give, fans and Tucker alike were not thrilled with the decision. That was because he played a key role in their 2021 NBA playoffs campaign.
Tucker took to social media to express his shock and disappointment while bidding farewell to the city of Milwaukee. In a post, he said:
“Wow. I’m still a little lost for words to be honest. Still in shock, but it is what it is. Today took a hard turn on the road of my career, but like my grandma used to tell me.. all you can control is what you can control. With that being said Milwaukee.. the city of MILWAUKEE!!!! You will never fully understand what y’all mean to me."
"Our time together, however short, will hold some of the best memories of my life forever. You took me in, and had my back throughout our journey, and I will FOREVER be grateful and hold you near to my heart. I can’t thank y’all enough. WE WILL ALWAYS BE DAWGS!”
Tucker could be irreplaceable, and might hinder the Bucks' chances of winning back-to-back championships. The Miami Heat were quick to swoop in and sign the veteran defensive juggernaut on a two-year deal, automatically boosting their chances of winning the 2022 NBA championship.
#4 Dennis Rodman
Perhaps the most controversial player in NBA history, Dennis Rodman also left his team after winning a championship. In his case, he had already won three consecutive trophies before choosing to leave the Chicago Bulls in 1998.
The Bulls were headed in the direction of a rebuild after the 1997-98 NBA season, and Rodman did not want to be there for that. He was released in January 1999, and he signed a deal with the LA Lakers for the remainder of the season.
#3 Dwight Howard
Dwight Howard started his NBA career with the Orlando Magic, and moved around the league for a while in search of a championship. After spending eight years in Orlando, he joined somewhat of a Lakers super team in 2012, but Kobe Bryant sustained an injury late in the season, foiling their championship hopes.
After runs with different teams, Howard reunited with the Lakers in a team that had LeBron James and Anthony Davis on the roster. In his role as a rotation player, he made significant contributions to help the Lakers clinch the 2020 NBA title in the Orlando bubble.
In free agency, the unexpected news broke that Howard would be joining the Philadelphia 76ers for the 2020-21 NBA season. As expected, he maintained dominance in the paint when Joel Embiid took a breather. Unfortunately, the Sixers were eliminated in the second round of the 2021 playoffs.
Howard has re-joined the Lakers for the 2021-22 NBA season, and is excited to be a part of a veteran team that could be on its way to another NBA championship.
#2 Danny Green
No player in the NBA has changed teams as much as Danny Green has right after winning a championship. He is also one of four players in NBA history to have won championships with three different teams.
Green won his first ring in 2014 as a member of the San Antonio Spurs after spending eight seasons with the franchise. Four years later, he joined the Toronto Raptors, and played a key role in their 2019 championship run. He featured in all but two games for the Raptors, recording a career-high 45.5% shooting from beyond the arc.
In free agency, Green signed a two-year $30 million deal to join the purple and gold. He was interested in running it back, but had a condition that the Raptors failed to meet. His campaign with the Lakers was equally as successful, as he played a key role at both ends of the court to help the Lakers win their 17th NBA championship.
Despite having a year on his contract, the Lakers chose to field a relatively young team, and traded Green to the OKC Thunder for Dennis Schroder. With the Thunder looking to get younger, too, the sharpshooter ended up with the Philadelphia 76ers. That makes it two consecutive team changes for Green right after winning back-to-back NBA titles.
#1 Kawhi Leonard
Green's condition to stay with the Toronto Raptors was that he was only willing to attempt a re-run if Kawhi Leonard stayed. Given that he ended up with the Lakers for the 2019-20 NBA season should give you an idea of what played out.
Leonard was a key player for the Raptors, and was the main reason they won the championship that year. However, he had since expressed his desire to play for his home team, so everyone knew he would leave, but it was a matter of when.
The LA Clippers beat the Lakers to win the race for Leonard. The two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year has said that the prospect of playing alongside Paul George made his decision easier. Since joining the Clippers in 2019, he hasn't made the NBA Finals in two attempts, though.
Guess the Lakers players!
