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Every NBA star who wins a title earns plenty of praise. However, doing it with the teams that drafted them in the first place puts them in a class of their own. But in an era where loyalty isn't a premium aspect compared to rings, it's only natural for stars to look for greener pastures. Unfortunately, making that particular choice is often a gamble. As a result, some stars make regretful decisions that negatively affected their careers. Here are the 10 NBA stars who shouldn't have left their original teams, ranked.
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10. Klay Thompson
Klay Thompson won four NBA titles with the Golden State Warriors. However, after another playoff disappointment, Thompson went to the Dallas Mavericks in a historic six-team sign-and-trade deal during the 2024 offseason, hoping to contend for a title with a franchise that was fresh from an NBA Finals appearance.
While it looked like Thompson was the missing piece, the Mavs made a major front-office decision by trading away Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis. Since then, Dallas is looking like a team that has a lot to prove, especially after missing the 2025 NBA Playoffs.
9. Gordon Hayward
Gordon Hayward spent his first few years in the NBA with the Utah Jazz. Utah fans witnessed his growth, evolving into an NBA All-Star. Coming off his best season, Hayward opted to leave the Jazz by signing as a free agent with the Boston Celtics. Hayward not only inked a lucrative deal but positioned himself to win a title alongside Kyrie Irving. Unfortunately, as early as the 2017-18 season opener, Hayward suffered a broken leg that derailed his career. Since then, he was never the same.
8. Dwight Howard
Dwight Howard at his prime was arguably the best center in the NBA. As a result, it wasn't surprising that the Orlando Magic crowned him as the face of the franchise, building around him to earn a ticket to the 2009 NBA Finals. However, repeated playoff failures started to leave the three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year frustrated, prompting him to force his way out.
While Howard did get his wish, he never reached the same magnitude in his career to the point of becoming a journeyman in the league. On the bright side, he did win an NBA championship with the Los Angeles Lakers as a backup big man in 2020.
7. Russell Westbrook
After the departure of Kevin Durant from Oklahoma City, it was clear that the Thunder's keys went to the hands of Russell Westbrook. With the Thunder, Westbrook was a triple-double machine who was crowned NBA MVP in 2017.
But after running the show for several seasons, the former NBA MVP wanted to chase an elusive NBA title. Unfortunately, after leaving the Thunder, Westbrook has never made the same impact, as he now mostly serves as a spark off the bench. He has yet to win a title, and his numbers have ultimately regressed.
6. Paul George
It wasn't long ago when Paul George was the man who ran the show for the Indiana Pacers. With Indiana, George was anointed as a rising superstar. However, growing frustration on the team's direction convinced him that he wanted out. After that, PG has played for several contenders that have disappointed in terms of playoff success. He's coming off a deflating 2024-25 season with the Philadelphia 76ers.
5. Damian Lillard
Damian Lillard rose to the ranks as a superstar with the Portland Trail Blazers. However, many believed that the nine-time All-Star was wasting away his prime years with the Blazers, who simply couldn't build a competent roster around him that has led to playoff exits. Despite his loyalty, Lillard eventually leaned towards taking his talents elsewhere to compete for rings.
While Lillard did eventually win an NBA In-Season Tournament title with the Milwaukee Bucks, it wasn't the championship he was looking for. Furthermore, a torn Achilles now puts his career in a questionable state. On the bright side, the injury paved the way for Lillard to return to the Blazers.
4. Kyrie Irving
When it comes to elite guards, there's no doubt that Kyrie Irving deserves to be in the conversation. He was an instrumental player in the Cleveland Cavaliers' historic 2016 NBA title run. However, a falling out with LeBron James made him force his way out of Cleveland. Since leaving the Wine and Gold, Irving has struggled to replicate his playoff success elsewhere. To make matters worse, injuries and off-court controversies followed him everywhere he went.
3. Dwyane Wade
Dwyane Wade is arguably the best player in a Miami Heat uniform. He led the franchise to three NBA titles after all. But on the other side of the coin, Wade's career largely hinged on Miami. Although he did have stints with other NBA teams, his tenure with the Chicago Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers were forgettable at best. Fortunately, Wade found his way back with the Heat, eventually retiring with the franchise as it should've been.
2. Steve Nash
Back in the day, Steve Nash was an elite point guard who facilitated the offenses for the Phoenix Suns. But after starring for the team with no titles to show for, the two-time NBA MVP took his talents to the Lakers in a last-ditch effort to end his career with an elusive ring. Unfortunately, joining the star-studded Lakers proved to be a disastrous decision. Injuries and chemistry issues hampered the team as the Purple and Gold never even came close to competing for gold.
1. Kevin Durant
Many experts and critics targeted Kevin Durant for leaving the Oklahoma City Thunder during the 2016 summer. Although Durant did win back-to-back NBA titles with the Warriors, many frowned upon the 2014 NBA MVP for joining an already established title contender to win his rings. To this day, Durant's legacy continues to be questioned as the pressure builds on his shoulders to win a title elsewhere. Had he stayed in Oklahoma City, Durant's legacy might not have been as tarnished.
