From four years to 15 years, these NBA players have been with their respective franchises for the longest period of time.
Across the NBA in 2023-24, there is a beautiful mix of veterans and young up-and-coming stars who make it the greatest sports league in the world. Some of these players such as Stephen Curry or Giannis Antetokounmpo, have played their entire careers with one organization while others such as Kevin Durant or LeBron James have made multiple stops along the way in their careers. Today, we celebrate the players who have been with their respective teams for the longest periods, giving their all to one location, one fanbase, and one organization.
As we go through every team’s longest-tenured players, you will notice that very few teams have long-standing veterans who have devoted their entire careers to one team while many teams have begun to enter a rebuild or went with youth over experience. For some, it has paid off handsomely. For others, it has not quite caught on as of yet.
These are the longest-tenured players from every NBA team.
T30. Detroit Pistons – Killian Hayes And Isaiah Stewart (4 Years)
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With the amount of shuffling the Detroit Pistons have done over the last few seasons, it comes as no surprise that their two longest-tenured players have only been with the team for four years. Killian Hayes was Detroit’s seventh overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft while Isaiah Stewart was originally selected by the Trail Blazers, traded to the Rockets four days later, and again traded to the Pistons two days after that.
For Hayes, his tenure with the Pistons has been one big disappointment. He has not produced the way a lottery pick in any NBA Draft should. Over the last four seasons, Hayes has averaged just 8.5 points and 5.3 rebounds per game while shooting an abysmal 37.6% from the field overall. At 22 years old in 2023-24, this season may be the one that Detroit finally loses their patience and moves on from the young guard at some point if things do not turn around quickly.
As for Stewart aka “Beef Stew”, it has been the opposite. With expectations starting on the lower end, Stewart has been impressive over the last four seasons with the Pistons. He has held onto the starting center job for the last three seasons, averaging 9.1 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. In 2022-23, Stewart averaged a career-high 11.3 points and 8.1 rebounds per game while finishing 44.2% of his opportunities.
T30. Washington Wizards – Deni Avdija (4 Years)
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Much like the Pistons, the Washington Wizards have had issues with turnover on their roster for the last few years as they try to once again become playoff contenders. This summer, they let go of their former longest-tenured player Bradley Beal who was with the team for 11 seasons from 2013 through 2023.
With the departure of Beal, the Wizards are now left with Deni Avdija as their longest-tenured player. Avdija was the Wizards’ ninth overall pick in the NBA Draft and has begun to break out as the player the Wizards thought they were getting in that draft. With an increasing role every season, Avdija seems to have found his stride in the early going of the 2023-24 season as the team’s starting small forward. He is currently averaging career highs in points, assists, and steals while shooting the highest field-goal percentage of his career.
If this continues to be the case for Avdija, who has also become a fan-favorite, he will remain with Washington for the foreseeable future and remain their longest-tenured player.
T30. Houston Rockets – Jae’Sean Tate (4 Years)
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Over the last five years, the Houston Rockets have been scrambling to get back into contention in the Western Conference after a complete teardown and rebuild of their roster. They lost James Harden, John Wall, and other players to trades and free agency while also losing executives such as Daryl Morey to the 76ers and coaches who could not live up to the task.
In November of 2020, Jae’Sean Tate signed with the team as an undrafted free agent. Fast forward four years and he is now their longest-tenured player. The way that Tate has kept his spot on the Rockets is with consistency and sacrifice. Tate started off as a starter at forward for the team in 2021 and 2022, averaging over 11.0 points and 5.0 rebounds per game on at least 49.5% shooting.
The last two seasons have been rocky for Tate as far as his role with the team goes. With all of their moving parts and hits on draft picks such as Alperen Sengun, Tate has found himself in more of a bench role over the last two seasons. In 2022-23 and through eight games in 2023-24, Tate has made just seven starts and appeared in only 37 games while averaging under 10.0 points per game. With his role diminishing with each passing game, this may be the final time he is referred to as Houston’s longest-tenured player.
T27. Charlotte Hornets – Terry Rozier And P.J. Washington (5 Years)
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Over the last five seasons, the Charlotte Hornets have struggled to maintain themselves as a contender in the Eastern Conference. They finished over .500 only one time during that span with two losses in the NBA’s play-in tournament being the closest they have come to tasting the NBA playoffs. Two players have been through it all during this time, playing their roles and desperately doing what they could to help the cause.
Terry Rozier came over to the Hornets before the 2019-20 season after four seasons with the Boston Celtics. During that time, he has developed into an elite scorer, averaging 19.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 4.5 assists on 43.4% shooting overall and 37.2% shooting from three. During this time, Rozier has recorded three seasons of at least 20.0 points per game as well including the early stages of the 2023-24 season through five games.
P.J. Washington has also seen it all over the last five seasons with the Hornets since being selected 12th overall by the organization in the 2019 NBA Draft. Since coming into the NBA at 21 years old, Washington has been a starter with Charlotte and improved every single year. In 2022-23, he had the best season of his career with 15.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game on 44.4% shooting. While the Hornets show no signs of allowing these two players to go elsewhere, things can get unpredictable for a franchise on the ropes such as the Hornets if things do not go well in 2023-24.
T27. Oklahoma City Thunder – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander And Luguentz Dort (5 Years)
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As a team with one of the brightest futures in the NBA, the Oklahoma City Thunder have done a stellar job of building their roster by acquiring draft picks and using them wisely when presented with the opportunities. With the amount of shuffling they have had to do in rebuilding after the departures of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, things have finally begun to come to fruition now, and they are an early contender in the Western Conference in 2023-24.
One of the reasons they can be considered on such a level this season is the breakout into superstar status by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. After being acquired via trade in the Summer of 2019 for a deal that sent Paul George out of town, Gilgeous-Alexander has done nothing but prove them right for the last five seasons. In 2022-23, he broke out as an All-Star and All-NBA First Team member with 31.4 points per game on 51.0% shooting. With him at the lead and young stars such as Chet Holmgren and Josh Giddey around him, the Thunder do look like a force to be reckoned with.
Another player who has excelled in his role as a decent offensive player but elite defender is Luguentz Dort. Dort signed a two-way deal with the team in 2019 which was converted into a regular contract the following year. Over the last five seasons, Dort has been a staple for the Thunder in their rebuild with 13.5 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 0.9 steals per game. Although the team hopes to get his efficiency back on track at some point, he has proven to be a reliable asset for them on the defensive side of the floor.
T27. New Orleans Pelicans – Brandon Ingram And Zion Williamson (5 Years)
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It is hard to believe that it has been five seasons since the New Orleans Pelicans traded Anthony Davis, acquired Brandon Ingram, and drafted Zion Williamson first overall in the NBA Draft but here we are. The last five seasons have been full of ups and downs for the organization but still, they remain diligent in their pursuit of true playoff contention.
After coming over from the Lakers in the deal for Anthony Davis, Brandon Ingram has thrived with the Pelicans. In his first season with the team, Ingram became an All-Star averaging 23.8 points per game on 46.3% shooting. Despite struggling with injury over the last few seasons, he has remained a 23.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game player for them and remains one of their best offensively gifted pieces on the roster.
Zion Williamson was the most coveted prize in the 2019 NBA Draft and the Pelicans were fortunate enough to secure him at the time. He missed all but 24 games his rookie season but bounced back with an All-Star campaign in 2021 that saw him average 27.0 points per game on 61.1% shooting. All of that promise went out the window when Williamson missed the entire 2022 season with a foot injury that carried over into 2023 when he made only 29 appearances yet still earned his second All-Star selection.
Now, Williamson and the Pelicans as a whole need to prove they can remain healthy in order to reach the expectations set forth for them as a true contender. So far, things look good in 2023-24 but at just seven games in, our breath is still being held that it can remain this way.
T27. San Antonio Spurs – Keldon Johnson (5 Years)
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The last few seasons for the San Antonio Spurs have easily been the most tumultuous of coach Gregg Popvich’s career since 1999. The Spurs have failed to reach the playoffs since 2019 and have failed to advance past the first round of the playoffs since 2017. Despite their struggles, things seem to be turning in their favor in 2023-24 thanks to the arrival of No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama as well as their longest-tenured star, Keldon Johnson.
Back in 2019, the Spurs made Johnson their 29th overall pick in the NBA Draft. Over the years, he has begun to thrive in Popvich’s system, peaking in 2022-23 with 22.0 points and 5.0 rebounds on 45.2% shooting in 63 starts. Johnson has been one of the few constants for the Spurs, leading by example with his willingness to show up every day and work hard on his craft.
While Johnson may dip in production with the arrival of Wembanyam and the emergence of Devin Vassell, he will prove to be as important of a piece as ever this season with where they hope they are as a team at season’s end.
T27. Brooklyn Nets – Nic Claxton (5 Years)
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With the revolving door that has been the Brooklyn Nets over the last few seasons, it is actually a shock that one player has even been there as long as Nic Claxton has been. After stints with Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden failed miserably, the Nets have turned toward a new core of players to lead them into the future.
One player who has remained and anchored the team on the defensive side of the ball in particular is Nic Claxton. Over the last five seasons, Claxton has seen both injuries and struggles to make Brooklyn’s rotations hinder his development. In 2022-23, however, those hindrances were shed as Claxton was nearly an All-Defensive Team selection in Brooklyn.
In 2022-23, Claxton averaged 12.6 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game while leading the NBA by shooting 70.5% from the field. In the early stages of 2023-24, Claxton is once again struggling with an ankle injury that has limited him to just one appearance in seven games. Hopefully, the injury will heal soon and the Nets can get their defensive difference-maker and longest-tenured player back on the floor to help them win some games.
T27. Utah Jazz – Jordan Clarkson (5 Years)
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In 2019-20, Jordan Clarkson entered the sixth season of his NBA career with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Later that season, he would be dealt to the Utah Jazz in exchange for Dante Exum and draft picks. Since that time, Clarkson has been one of the most consistent players for the Jazz as they began their rebuild following the losses of both Rudy Gobert and Donivan Mitchell via trade.
In his five seasons with Utah, Clarkson has averaged 17.6 points per game on 43.1% shooting from the field. In 2020-21, Clarkson made 67 appearances off the bench for the Jazz, averaging 18.4 points per game on 42.5% shooting. For his efforts, Clarkson was named the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year. Following one more season off the bench, Clarkson found his way into the starting lineup in 2022-23 and reached the true pinnacle of his skill set on the court.
Over the last two seasons as a starter, Clarkson is averaging 20.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game on 43.5% shooting. The Jazz have struggled as a team at no fault of Clarkson who is putting forth his best effort. Even with the increase in his level of play, you have to believe that his reign as Utah’s longest-tenured player could soon come to an end, especially if the Jazz continue to spiral in a downward direction.
T27. Cleveland Cavaliers – Darius Garland (5 Years)
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The Cleveland Cavaliers have had their hands full since 2018 after the departure of their King, LeBron James. During this time, they have rebuilt the franchise into one of the more formidable contenders in the Eastern Conference. They began their rebuild in 2019 with a fifth overall selection in the NBA Draft that they used on point guard Darius Garland out of Vanderbilt.
Since being selected by the Cavaliers, Garland has evolved into one of the top point guards in the entire NBA. After two seasons of consistent improvement, Garland earned his first All-Star selection in 2022 averaging 21.7 points, 8.6 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. He helped lead the Cavaliers to back-to-back playoff appearances in 2022 and 2023, the team’s first appearances in the postseason since James’ departure.
Garland is already one of the better passers and scorers from the point guard position in the NBA. If his progress continues to be this rapid, he will be locked down as the leader of the Cavaliers well into the future which I am sure fans and teammates alike are not opposed to in the slightest.
T20. New York Knicks – Mitchell Robinson (6 Years)
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The New York Knicks have been a hit-and-miss organization in the NBA Draft over the last two decades, rarely able to develop their picks into stars or able to hold onto them for an extended period of time. In 2018, they would use their second-round pick on 7’0’’ center Mitchell Robinson out of Western Kentucky who remains with the team to this day.
Robinson has been decent over the last six seasons with the Knicks, averaging 8.2 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game. Although his lack of offensive output has been concerning for the Knicks, he has easily taken over the role of their best interior defender by a long shot. He has secured their starting center spot for the foreseeable future and continues to give some of the best big men in the game fits on the defensive side of the ball.
Whether or not he is a championship center remains to be seen but it is clear that more needs to come from the offensive side of the ball if that is to be the case.
T20. Los Angeles Clippers – Ivica Zubac (6 Years)
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The Los Angeles Clippers have also had a revolving door of talent come through their doors over the last few seasons including their current star lineups of Russell Westbrook, James Harden, Kawhi Leonard, and Paul George. George and Leonard have been with the team for five seasons while Westbrook has yet to play a full season with the team and Harden has been with them for just one game.
This leaves Ivica Zubac as the team’s longest-tenured player with six seasons under his belt. Having come over in a 2018-19 trade with the Lakers, Zubac has been one of the most underrated players in the NBA over the last six seasons. He has averaged 9.6 points and 7.1 rebounds per game during his Clippers career while upping his numbers to over 10.0 points and over 8.5 rebounds in each of the last two seasons.
Zubac is not a name that most would consider to be a top 10 center in the NBA right now but it is much closer than he is given credit for considering what he provides as a rebounder and defender.
T20. Portland Trail Blazers – Anfernee Simons (6 Years)
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The Portland Trail Blazers have officially entered into unknown territory for the 2023-24 season after the departure of 11-year veteran point guard Damian Lillard via trade to the Milwaukee Bucks. With the move, the next man in line to take over for Lillard was supposed to be Anfernee Simons, their 24th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft.
In 2022-23, after four seasons of navigating Portland’s lineup, Simons got his chance to be a starter alongside Lillard and show off his entire repertoire on the court. He averaged a career-high 21.2 points per game on 44.7% shooting. Heading into 2023-24, the keys to the franchise were handed to him but another roadblock was thrown in his way. Simons will be nursing a fractured thumb which he had surgery on and will be re-evaluated in six weeks.
For now, the team remains confident that their longest-tenured player can be the next big star in franchise history but we will have to wait until he recovers to see if that is the case or not.
T20. Memphis Grizzlies – Jaren Jackson Jr. (6 Years)
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The Memphis Grizzlies have been one of the most surprisingly consistent teams over the last few seasons thanks to the players they have been able to scout during the NBA Draft. One of those players was their fourth overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, forward Jaren Jackson Jr.
Jackson Jr. began his career as Memphis’ starting power forward and had a decent first two seasons before injuries cut his 2021 campaign short to just 11 games played. When he returned, he came back stronger than ever with a solid offensive game along with some of the best interior defense in the NBA. In 2021-22, Jackson led the NBA in blocks with 2.3 blocks per game, earning his first All-Defensive Team selection.
To follow that up, Jackson helped Memphis secure the second seed in last year’s playoffs by becoming the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year with 6.8 rebounds and a league-leading 3.0 blocks per game. He also earned his first All-Star selection with 18.6 points per game on 50.6% shooting. The Grizzlies have gotten off to a rocky start in 2023-24 going 1-6 in their first seven contests amid the 25-game suspension to their star Ja Morant. Jackson has stepped up his play on all fronts as the team’s leader and longest-tenured player but unfortunately, the rest of the team has yet to follow suit.
T20. Atlanta Hawks – Trae Young (6 Years)
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For the last six seasons in Atlanta, we have seen the Hawks go for a roller coaster of a ride when it comes to their roster and organization as a whole. At the center of all of this has been one of the best playmaking and scoring point guards in the entire NBA, Trae Young. After acquiring Young in a 2018 draft day trade with the Mavericks for Luka Doncic, the Hawks viewed them as their next franchise cornerstone.
At times, Young has lived up to these expectations while at other times, he has looked like a complete disaster. In 2021, Young led the Hawks to the Eastern Conference Finals and had it not been for an injury to the point guard, could have possibly been in the NBA Finals as well. In 2022, he would lead the NBA in total points and total assists, something no player had done since Tiny Archibald in 1973.
In 2022-23, Young would lead the NBA in assists once more, recording 300 for the second straight season. However, as a team, the Hawks have yet to get past the first round of the playoffs since their trip to the Conference Finals in 2021, leading many to speculate about Young’s future with the team. With the Hawks off to a hot start in 2023-24, it seems Young’s status as their longest-tenured player will only continue to grow.
T20. Los Angeles Lakers – LeBron James (6 Years)
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Although the last six seasons have not always been pretty for the Los Angeles Lakers, the one constant they have been able to rely on, barring injuries, has been LeBron James. After arriving in 2019, James would have the Lakers franchise turned around from their recent struggles until a late-season injury squandered any chance at a playoff run.
In 2020, James would come back with a vengeance, leading the Lakers to their 17th NBA championship while capturing his fourth Finals MVP award in a Finals win over the Miami Heat. In 2021 and 2022, injuries decimated the entire team, including James, to the point they had no chance at another championship and missed the playoffs each time. With a rejuvenated James back on the court in 2023, the team made their way to the Western Conference Finals only to be taken out by the eventual champions, the Denver Nuggets.
Since arriving in Los Angeles, James has averaged 27.3 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 7.9 assists per game for the Lakers which is remarkable considering it has been his age 34-39 seasons. Time has had no effect on his game other than his susceptibility to injuries. With high expectations in 2023-24, the Lakers turn to their soon-to-be 39-year-old star to lead them to the promised land once again. If any player can do it, it is LeBron James.
T14. Orlando Magic – Jonathan Isaac (7 Years)
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The Orlando Magic are one of the franchises in the NBA who have done a spectacular job building a young core to lead them into the future over the last few seasons. In the 2017 NBA Draft, they attempted to get that process started a little earlier by drafting Jonathan Isaac sixth overall as the team’s power forward of the future.
Things have not gone to plan, however, as Isaac has struggled in more ways than one since arriving in the NBA. Thanks to a brutal series of ACL injuries, Isaac has played just 16 games since the end of the 2019-20 season, averaging 8.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.1 steals, and 1.4 blocks per game during his career. Now relegated to the bench in Orlando, Isaac has seen just 11.0 minutes per game on the court over the last two seasons with no solidified spot in their rotation moving forward.
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The struggles of the Chicago Bulls go all the way back to the night that Derrick Rose crumpled to the floor in pain during the 2012 playoffs against the 76ers. Since that time, the Bulls have been back to the playoffs five times and have failed to get past the second round each time.
Seven years ago, they felt their fortunes had changed when they acquired Zach LaVine from the Timberwolves in a deal that involved Jimmy Butler. Since then, LaVine has averaged 24.5 points per game on 47.0% shooting for Chicago with two All-Star appearances in 2021 and 2022. Unfortunately for the Bulls, the team has made just one playoff appearance, a first-round exit in 2022.
Things seem to be at a crossroads for LaVine and the Bulls who continue to struggle despite the presence of two other All-Stars next to him on the roster. With LaVine due over $40 million per season through 2026-27, it can only be concluded that he will be a prime trade candidate around the NBA if things do not get straightened out quickly.
T14. Sacramento Kings – De’Aaron Fox (7 Years)
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Before the 2022-23 season, it had been 17 years since the last time we saw the Sacramento Kings in the NBA playoffs. One player who had to endure all of the angst and failure before that for six seasons was De’Aaron Fox, the team’s fifth overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft.
Fox had already been knocking on the door of becoming an All-Star, showing quickness and a knack for playing the point guard position that you cannot teach. In 2022-23, he finally earned that All-Star nod with 25.0 points and 6.0 assists on 48.6% shooting. Fox was also awarded the NBA’s inaugural Clutch Player of the Year award for his incredible fourth-quarter scoring and clutch abilities.
After leading the Kings to the playoffs last season, expectations are high for Fox and the Kings in 2023-24. They are projected to be a playoff team once again with Fox well on his way to another All-Star and All-NBA Team selection. If the Kings are truly done as the NBA’s laughing stock, Fox is leading the charge and will continue to be their longest-tenured player for the majority of his career.
T14. Miami Heat – Bam Adebayo (7 Years)
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Seven years ago, Bam Adebayo left the University of Kentucky as a relatively unknown prospect. He was selected 14th overall by the Miami Heat in the 2017 NBA draft and tabbed as their newest undersized center. Fast forward seven seasons and Adebayo is one of the NBA’s premier centers, helping the Miami Heat continue their tradition of producing winners that has been the case for nearly 20 years.
Since entering the NBA in 2017-18, Adebayo has earned two All-Star selections and four All-Defensive Team selections with the Heat. He has averaged 14.8 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 1.0 steals per game in his career but has been above 15.0 points per game since 2019-20. In 2020 and 2023, Adebayo played a monster role in helping the Heat reach not one but two NBA Finals series along with four appearances in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Despite their inability to capture the NBA championship just yet, Adebayo has been one of the main reasons the team has even been able to call themselves contenders for the last seven years. His versatility on defense as well as a very improved offensive game have made him one of the premier big men in the NBA and the team is out for revenge in 2023-24.
T10. Toronto Raptors – Pascal Siakam (8 Years)
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With just eight seasons in the NBA, Pascal Siakam has had himself one heck of a career already with the Toronto Raptors. After two seasons coming off the bench in 2017 and 2018, Siakam finally earned his shot at becoming the team’s starting power forward, and he did not disappoint.
In his first full season as the starter, Siakam helped lead the Raptors to their first and only championship in franchise history averaging 19.0 points and 7.1 rebounds per game for the entirety of the playoffs. He would also be named Most Improved Player for that season, adding to his trophy case on an individual level.
Since the championship, Siakam has earned two All-Star and Two All-NBA Team selections while averaging 22.7 points, 7.7 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 1.1 steals per game on 47.1% shooting. Rumors have swirled about his availability to other teams via trade but as it stands, he remains with the Raptors to start the 2023-24 season.
T10. Boston Celtics – Jaylen Brown (8 Years)
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In 2016, the Boston Celtics took a chance by drafting Jaylen Brown out of the University of California with their third overall pick. Since becoming a full-time starter in 2018, all Brown has done is average 20.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game while helping the Boston Celtics become a powerhouse in the Eastern Conference with four appearances in the Conference Finals and one appearance in the NBA Finals.
Since 2021, Brown has earned two All-Star appearances as well as his first All-NBA Team selection in 2022-23. He is easily a top-three second option in the NBA, forming an elite duo with co-star Jayson Tatum tabbed with leading the Celtics to their first NBA title since 2008. This summer, Boston showed their belief in Brown by making him the highest-paid player in NBA history with a five-year, $304 million deal.
While Brown is set to be one of nine players making over $50 million in 2024-25, there is still unfinished business to settle in 2023-24. After another disappointing loss in the 2023 Conference Finals, Brown, along with a bevy of co-stars, looks to finally deliver on their championship process to the City of Boston and return the Larry O’Brien Trophy to its rightful place.
T8. Indiana Pacers – Myles Turner (9 Years)
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In 2015, the Indiana Pacers held the 11th overall pick in the NBA Draft. On the heels of their first time missing the playoffs in five seasons, the Pacers decided to go with a generational big man with their pick. Myles Turner out of Texas would be their choice and has remained their choice for starting center since that day.
Over the years, Myles Turner has been a defensive force both when it comes to blocking shots and grabbing rebounds. He won two block titles in 2019 and 2021 while helping the Pacers get back to the postseason five times, even though those appearances all resulted in losses in the first round.
Over the last nine seasons, Turner has averaged 13.4 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game while shooting 49.8% from the field. Even with his unstoppable play on defense, he is annually involved in trade rumors although none have ever come to fruition. With his contract up after the 2024-25 season, you can expect those rumors to heat up once again this season and into the summer, calling into question how much longer Turner will be Indiana’s longest-tenured player.
T8. Minnesota Timberwolves – Karl-Anthony Towns (9 Years)
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The Minnesota Timberwolves have had a bad string of luck over the years when it comes to having competitive rosters and the overall talent to compete for an NBA championship. In 2015, using their No. 1 overall pick, the Timberwolves elected to go with a dominant big man from Kentucky, Karl-Anthony Towns.
With this selection, Towns was tabbed as the next great interior force for their franchise just as Kevin Garnett was for so many years during the 90s and 2000s. As the game evolved, so did Towns as he went on to be one of the greatest shooting big men in NBA history. Over the last nine seasons, Towns captured the 2016 Rookie of the Year, three All-Star selections, and two All-NBA Team selections.
With averages of 16.7 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game, Towns will go down as one of the best players in Timberwolves history. However, with just three playoff appearances during Towns’ tenure, it is hard to imagine calling his entire career a complete success with the team.
T8. Phoenix Suns – Devin Booker (9 Years)
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The Phoenix Suns are one of the few franchises in NBA history that have yet to feel the joy of celebrating as NBA champions. After years of having great teams who fell short, their luck began to change once again during the 2015 NBA Draft with the selection of the player who has the chance to go down as the franchise GOAT.
Devin Booker has been one of the premier shooting guards in the NBA over the last five seasons, taking control of the top spot handily in the last two. In the last nine seasons, Booker has averaged 24.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game on 46.1% shooting. He has earned three All-Star selections as well as one All-NBA Team selection during that time as well.
In 2021, Booker helped lead the Suns to their first NBA Finals appearance since 1993. Although they lost in six games, the Suns now have the formula and experience from their longest-tenured player to hopefully lead them back to that place once again but with much better results this time.
T8. Denver Nuggets – Nikola Jokic (9 Years)
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The Denver Nuggets are one of the most historically celebrated franchises in NBA history. In 2015, they made history without even knowing it by selecting Nikola Jokic in the second round of the NBA Draft. Now known as the greatest second-round pick in NBA history, Jokic has led the Nuggets to their best seasons in franchise history while solidifying his status as the team’s greatest player ever.
Jokic really began to put himself on the map in 2019 with his first All-Star selection, a feat he has achieved in all five seasons that followed. In 2021, he became the first MVP in team history which he followed up with a second one in 2022. Over those two seasons, Jokic averaged 26.7 points, 12.3 rebounds, and 8.1 assists per game while shooting 57.5% from the floor.
Jokic’s best season would come in 2022-23 as he led the Nuggets to the first overall seed in the Western Conference. He then led Denver as they steamrolled the playoffs into the NBA Finals which included a sweep of the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals. Jokic and the Nuggets then took care of the Miami Heat in five games to become NBA champions. Jokic claimed the first Finals MVP in Nuggets history and now stands alone as the greatest player to ever wear a Nuggets uniform.
T3. Dallas Mavericks – Dwight Powell (10 Years)
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In the NBA, there are currently just five players who have been with the same team for at least 10 seasons. Perhaps the most surprising of those five players is Dwight Powell of the Dallas Mavericks. After a rookie season trade from the Boston Celtics, Powell arrived with the Mavericks with high expectations despite being a second-round draft pick in 2014.
Since that time, injuries as well as severe underperforming have prevented Powell from being the centerpiece he was supposed to be for a team looking to compete for an NBA title. In his 10 seasons with the team, Powell has averaged 7.6
Points and 4.6 rebounds per game while shooting 60.0% from the floor. After nine seasons as their full-time starter, Powell has been relegated to a bench role that could spell the beginning of the end of his tenure in Dallas.
T3. Philadelphia 76ers – Joel Embiid (10 Years)
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In years past, the Philadelphia 76ers have had great luck with the selections they have made in the NBA Draft. In 2014, when they selected Joel Embiid first overall, things did not start that way. In fact, many jumped the gun and thought they made a huge mistake. The last eight seasons have proven that we cannot always judge a player by his first couple of seasons in the NBA.
After playing just 31 games through his first three seasons with the team, Joel Embiid looked like he was headed for Greg Oden territory when it came to his NBA career. Over the last seven years, however, Embiid has put all of that noise to rest with six straight All-Star appearances, five All-NBA Team selections, three All-Defensive Team selections, two scoring titles, and the first MVP award for the Sixers franchise since 2001.
In the last seven seasons since getting his injuries straightened out for the most part, Embiid has averaged 27.3 points, 11.2 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game. He is one of five players in NBA history to average 27.0 points and 13.0 rebounds in a season at minimum, making him one of the premier centers in NBA history. However, the lack of playoff success and drama surrounding the team have called into question his status in Philadelphia. It will be an interesting storyline moving forward to see what the 76ers do with their star big man should the woes continue in the postseason.
2. Milwaukee Bucks – Khris Middleton And Giannis Antetokounmpo (11 Years)
Credit: Fadeaway World
Over the last decade, the Milwaukee Bucks have done a tremendous job of digging themselves out of the proverbial basement in the NBA. It all started with the 2013 NBA Draft where they took A young, relatively unknown player out of Greece by the name of Giannis Antetokounmpo with the 15th overall pick. A month later, they would make a deal for young small forward Khris Middleton from the Detroit Pistons.
Fast forward 11 years and this duo has already delivered one NBA championship with the hopes of more on the way. Giannis Antetokounmpo has gone from a skinny underdeveloped power forward into one of the most dominant forces in the game today with two MVP awards, a Defensive Player of the Year award, a Most Improved Player award, seven All-Star selections, seven All-NBA Team selections, and five All-Defensive Team selections.
In 2021, this duo would be at the forefront of a very special season in team history. For the first time in 50 years, the Bucks were crowned NBA champions behind a dominant Finals MVP performance from Antetokounmpo as well as a clutch performance from Middleton all postseason long. Middleton has earned three All-Star selections with the Bucks as well but all pales in comparison for both of them when it comes to that special run in 2021. With both still very much involved with the organization, this longest-tenured duo in Milwaukee is hungry for at least one more, and now with the addition of Damian Lillard, it is as close as it has been since that time.
1. Golden State Warriors – Stephen Curry (15 Years)
Credit: Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports
The longest-tenured player from any team in the NBA at this current moment is Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors. In the 2009 NBA Draft, the Warriors made Curry their seventh overall pick in the draft which turned out to be the greatest draft selection in team history. Against all odds and expectations, Curry has become one of the greatest players in NBA history, revolutionizing the game with his voluminous and efficient three-point shooting and championship pedigree.
It all started with back-to-back MVP awards in 2015 and 2016 as Curry led the Warriors to their first NBA title since 1975 in 2015. In 2016, he earned the NBA’s only unanimous MVP ever while also leading the team to 73 wins, an NBA record. Nine All-Star selections, nine All-NBA Team selections, and four NBA championships later, Curry is being heralded as the greatest or second-greatest point guard in NBA history, earning that title every step of the way.
Golden State has made their commitment to Curry clear as well. In 2023-24, he is the first player in NBA history to earn $50 million or more in one NBA season while also being one of the highest-paid players ever. With the amount of money being thrown his way and all of the things he has brought to the Warriors franchise, it is hard to believe he will ever play a single game in another uniform at any point in his career.
