Three of the NBA’s longest-tenured players by team were free agents this offseason, but Dirk Nowitzki, Nick Collison, and Udonis Haslem all returned to their respective clubs on new deals, holding their spots as the longest-tenured members of the Mavericks, Thunder, and Heat, respectively.
Still, there has been plenty of turnover on the list of longest-tenured players by team in this last year. Brook Lopez (Nets), Gordon Hayward (Jazz), Paul George (Pacers), and Avery Bradley (Celtics) were all the longest-tenured players on their respective teams until they found new homes via trade or free agency this offseason.
Meanwhile, teams like the Kings have undergone a ton of turnover within the last several months, jettisoning several of their longest-tenured players. In Sacramento’s case, guys like DeMarcus Cousins, Rudy Gay, Darren Collison, and Ben McLemore are no longer around, leaving two-year veteran Willie Cauley-Stein as the longest-tenured King. In Indiana, 21-year-old Myles Turner is the longest-tenured Pacer.
Be sure to check out the rosters and depth charts at RosterResource.com for full details on how and when each team acquired every player on its roster.
Here are the NBA’s current longest-tenured players by team:
- Dallas Mavericks: Dirk Nowitzki (draft trade), June 1998
- San Antonio Spurs: Tony Parker (draft), June 2001
- Manu Ginobili was selected by the Spurs in the 1999 draft, but didn’t sign with the team until 2002.
- Oklahoma City Thunder: Nick Collison (draft), June 2003
- Collison joined the franchise when it was the Seattle SuperSonics.
- Miami Heat: Udonis Haslem (free agent), August 2003
- Memphis Grizzlies: Mike Conley (draft), June 2007
- Los Angeles Clippers: DeAndre Jordan (draft), June 2008
- Golden State Warriors: Stephen Curry (draft), June 2009
- Toronto Raptors: DeMar DeRozan (draft), June 2009
- Washington Wizards: John Wall (draft), June 2010
- Denver Nuggets: Wilson Chandler (trade), February 2011
- New York Knicks: Carmelo Anthony (trade), February 2011
- Utah Jazz: Derrick Favors (trade), February 2011
- Cleveland Cavaliers: Kyrie Irving (draft), Tristan Thompson (draft), June 2011
- Irving is technically the slightly longer-tenured Cavalier, having been selected first overall, while Thompson was picked fourth overall.
- Charlotte Hornets: Kemba Walker (draft), June 2011
- New Orleans Pelicans: Anthony Davis (draft), June 2012
- Davis joined the franchise when it was the New Orleans Hornets.
- Portland Trail Blazers: Damian Lillard (draft), Meyers Leonard (draft), June 2012
- Lillard is technically the slightly longer-tenured Blazer, having been selected sixth overall, while Leonard was picked 11th overall.
- Detroit Pistons: Andre Drummond (draft), June 2012
- Milwaukee Bucks: John Henson (draft), June 2012
- Orlando Magic: Nikola Vucevic (trade), August 2012
- Houston Rockets: James Harden (trade), October 2012
- Phoenix Suns: Alex Len (draft), June 2013
- Len is currently a restricted free agent. If he doesn’t return, the longest-tenured Sun would be Eric Bledsoe (July 2013).
- Atlanta Hawks: Dennis Schroder (draft), June 2013
- Mike Muscala was acquired hours after Schroder in a draft trade.
- Minnesota Timberwolves: Gorgui Dieng (draft trade), June 2013
- Nemanja Bjelica was acquired by the Timberwolves in a 2010 draft trade, but didn’t sign with the team until 2015.
- Philadelphia 76ers: Joel Embiid (draft), June 2014
- Boston Celtics: Marcus Smart (draft), June 2014
- Los Angeles Lakers: Julius Randle (draft), June 2014
- Jordan Clarkson was acquired one day after Randle in a draft trade.
- Chicago Bulls: Nikola Mirotic (draft-and-stash signing), July 2014
- Mirotic was acquired by the Bulls in a 2011 draft trade, but didn’t sign with the team until 2014. Mirotic is currently a restricted free agent. If he doesn’t return, the longest-tenured Bull would be Bobby Portis (June 2015).
- Mirotic was acquired by the Bulls in a 2011 draft trade, but didn’t sign with the team until 2014. Mirotic is currently a restricted free agent. If he doesn’t return, the longest-tenured Bull would be Bobby Portis (June 2015).
- Sacramento Kings: Willie Cauley-Stein (draft), June 2015
- Indiana Pacers: Myles Turner (draft), June 2015
- Brooklyn Nets: Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (draft trade), June 2015
If we werent talking consecutively lebron would be the cavs pic
I love stuff like this. A long tenure with a team is what I hope for as a fan. Trades and free agency are fun and all, but I like rooting for players along with the laundry they are wearing. When they stay in one place a long time, that makes it so much better.
Which is why dirk will be a God in Dallas until he dies