In the NBA, a player’s loyalty to their respective franchise can make or break a team. Franchise players depart from the city they were originally drafted by all the time; leaving their former teams in shambles.
In the 1980s, Charles Barkley left the Philadelphia 76ers for the Phoenix Suns. In the 1990s, Shaquille O’Neal left the Orlando Magic for the Los Angeles Lakers. The 2000s saw Vince Carter leave the Toronto Raptors for the New Jersey Nets, while most recently, Kevin Durant left the Oklahoma City Thunder for the Golden State Warriors.