Changing teams can happen in the NBA via trade or when a particular player becomes a free agent. Throughout the league's history, we've witnessed several stars make dramatic career-changing decisions. While some NBA stars have thrived for their new teams, that isn't always the case.

In fact, there are a handful of NBA stars that basically declined after changing teams. With the NBA Trade Deadline fast approaching, let's take a closer look at 10 NBA stars who performed poorly after changing teams.

Ben Simmons

After three All-Star seasons in Philadelphia, things took a turn for the worse in Simmons' career when he passed up an open layup in the series against the Atlanta Hawks during the 2021 NBA Playoffs. Since then, Simmons dragged the Sixers front office through a long drama that saw him sit-out the entire 2021-22 season.

The drama only ended after Simmons was traded to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for James Harden. Although a lot expected Simmons to redeem himself in Brooklyn, Simmons has yet to come close to All-Star form. In fact, he's just averaging under seven points per game for the past two seasons when he is actually able to get on the court.

Jordan Poole

After winning his first NBA championship with the Warriors in 2022, many NBA fans remember how Jordan Poole received a punch from teammate Draymond Green. This convinced the Warriors to trade Poole to the Washington Wizards in the 2023 offseason.

At Washington, Poole was designated to be the team's go-to-guy. Although it was a bigger role, Poole has failed tremendously. The NBA champion currently has the worst +/- rating at -365. Moreover, the Wizards are also just 9-40.

Russell Westbrook

There's no question that Russell Westbrook is an elite point guard, especially having won the NBA MVP and averaged a triple-double for four seasons. However, many would agree that Westbrook's move to the Lakers was a disaster from the very start.

Playing alongside Anthony Davis and LeBron James, the NBA MVP's numbers took a dip. But even worse, the Lakers were nowhere near title contention.

Andre Drummond

A dominant rebounding center during his days with Detroit and Cleveland, the Lakers were looking for an All-Star big man that can play in lieu of Anthony Davis' injury after Marc Gasol's disappointing run. The Lakers signed Drummond after the four-time NBA rebounding leader secured a buyout with the Cavs.

Although Drummond still managed to average a double-double of 11.9 points and 10.2 rebounds per game, his old-school style of play prevented the Lakers from getting the much-needed spacing. Furthermore, his rim protection and defense prevented him from becoming the perfect Dwight Howard replacement.

Lamar Odom

Lamar Odom enjoyed the peak of his career with the Los Angeles Lakers. He won two NBA championships and was named the Sixth Man of the Year. Unfortunately, when Odom found out that he was a part of the vetoed trade package that would've landed Chris Paul in Los Angeles, the former Sixth Man of the Year winner requested a trade that landed him in Dallas.

Odom had an immediate decline with the Mavericks, averaging only 6.6 points per game on 35 percent shooting from the field overall. The move marked the downfall of Odom's NBA career.

Isaiah Thomas

After the departure of Kyrie Irving, the Cavaliers decided to trade their disgruntled superstar in exchange for Isaiah Thomas. It made sense for the Cavs to take the two-time All-Star guard, especially when he was fresh off an MVP-worthy season.

However, Thomas was also just recovering from a hip injury. The injury prevented Thomas from compensating for his lack of height.

Dwight Howard

There's no question that at one point in the NBA, Dwight Howard was the best center in the league. He was a three-time Defensive Player of the Year who led the Orlando Magic to several playoff runs, including a 2009 NBA Finals appearance.

However, when Howard wanted out of Orlando, it was the beginning of the end for the All-Star center. A trade to the Lakers allowed him to team up with Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, Metta World Peace, Jeremy Lin, and Pau Gasol. While the roster looked great on paper, concerns regarding egos, injuries, and fit eventually led to Howard's disastrous first Lakers stint.

Carmelo Anthony

After starring for the Denver Nuggets and the New York Knicks, Carmelo Anthony decided that he wanted to make a run for an NBA championship by joining the Oklahoma City Thunder with Russell Westbrook and Paul George. However, the team-up also meant that Melo would be relegated as a third option.

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This led to fewer touches for the 10-time All-Star. In addition to this, he was also a liability on defense, preventing OKC from making a deep playoff run.

Arguably, it was Melo's worst season in his decorated NBA career. With Melo's poor performance, it made sense for the Thunder to trade him after the season.

Gilbert Arenas

For several years, Gilbert Arenas entertained the Washington Wizards fans with his scoring. However, he was also controversial at best, thanks to his shenanigans off the court.

In the middle of the 2010-2011 season, the Wizards were officially done with Agent Zero being the face of the franchise by sending him to Orlando. But around this time, Arenas was already hobbled with injuries.

While playing for the Magic, Arenas averaged only 8.0 points per game while shooting 34 percent from the field overall. It was a significant drop compared to his seasons with Washington. Nevertheless, Arenas did continue to enjoy a solid paycheck during his time in Orlando.

Kemba Walker

Starring in Charlotte for several seasons, Kemba Walker was a silver lining for the cellar-dwelling franchise. The four-time All-Star eventually starred for the Boston Celtics and the New York Knicks, before he could no longer crack the Knicks' rotation.

Eventually, Walker tried to rejuvenate his career with the Dallas Mavericks after signing with the team. Although he showed glimpses, Walker could only average a career-low 8.0 points per game.