Sometimes, all it takes is a new jersey to unlock greatness. In a league where fit matters more than talent, some players need the right system to help them shine. Players have experienced breakouts and career revivals at unexpected times. Sometimes, escaping the depth of a team or finding one that believes in you more than others is what is needed. While we wait for the drama around Jonathan Kuminga to finish, let’s take a look at some cases of NBA players who benefited from a change of scenery.
10 NBA Players Who Benefited from a Change of Scenery
Tracy McGrady
Tracy McGrady is one of the most polarizing players of the 2000s. Known as one of the best pure scorers, T-Mac had everything in his bag. Drafted by the Toronto Raptors, he was stuck on a team behind another great wing, Vince Carter. While he showed potential in his third season, it wasn’t until he made it to the Orlando Magic that he unveiled his stardom. McGrady went from averaging 15.4 points in his third season with the Raptors to 26.8 in his first season with the Orlando Magic.
He won the Most Improved Player of the Year Award and looked like a guy destined to lead the Magic to greatness. While he didn’t make it to the NBA Finals in Orlando, he earned a reputation as one of the best scorers. T-Mac led the league in scoring two times. He earned plenty of individual achievements in Orlando, but didn’t enjoy much team success.
Jalen Brunson
Nobody expected Jalen Brunson to go from a good role player on a playoff team to a top-five or top-10 player in the league. When the Knicks signed him to a $104 million contract, people around the league thought they were overpaying him. In his first season, he showed that he would be underpaid for the rest of that contract.
New York gave him the keys to the offense, and he proved he can carry the team to the playoffs as a leader. Brunson’s impact in New York goes well beyond the team’s success. He is a culture setter, helping the team recruit other players and set examples.
Lauri Markkanen
Lauri Markkanen was drafted by the Chicago Bulls, and for four seasons, he was solid. He averaged decent numbers, but he didn’t contribute to winning. There were flashes of potential, as he averaged 18.7 points and nine rebounds in his second season. Even when he changed teams the first time, playing a year for the Cleveland Cavaliers, he still didn’t reach his potential. For Markkanen, it was the third team that was the charm. Once he made it to the Utah Jazz, he took control of their offense and quickly became an All-Star caliber player. In his first season in Utah, Markkanen won the Most Improved Player of the Year Award, jumping to 25.6 points per game. He also made his first All-Star team.
Tyrese Haliburton
Tyrese Haliburton finished third in Rookie of the Year voting. While he was a good player, it seems like the Sacramento Kings were not able to develop him properly. In a classic Kings chaos, they had two great point guards, along with De’Aaron Fox, and now they have zero.
The trade to the Indiana Pacers completely changed Haliburton’s career. He went from a promising young guard to a premier point guard. His impact was undeniable, revitalizing the Pacers and their offense. In his second full season in Indiana, he led the league in assists, and in his third, he led the team to the NBA Finals.
Jermaine O’Neal
Jermaine O’Neal transformed from a benchwarmer with the Portland Trail Blazers to a franchise cornerstone with the Pacers. In his last season in Portland, he averaged 12.3 minutes per game. And Then, in his first year with the Pacers, he jumped to 32.6 minutes per game. In his second season in Indiana, O’Neal averaged 19 points and 10.5 rebounds, winning the Most Improved Player of the Year Award. He was the centerpiece of the Pacers and their success in the early 2000s, leading them to several playoff appearances as one of the premier power forward/centers in the league.
Gerald Wallace
Gerald Wallace is another example of NBA players who benefited from a change of scenery. During his first three years with the Sacramento Kings, he was a bench player, averaging less than ten minutes per game.
But the Charlotte Hornets believed in him and picked him during the expansion draft. In Charlotte, he found his role and became a menace on the defensive end and a chaotic offensive player. During his time in Charlotte, he finished in the top-10 of Defensive Player of the Year Award voting three times while averaging at least two steals for three consecutive seasons.
Mehmet Okur
Mehmet Okur might be a great example for Kuminga. He was also part of a stacked championship team where he mostly came off the bench. Okur won a championship with the Detroit Pistons. With the Pistons having multiple All-Stars on the team, they couldn’t afford to sign him. From there, he ended up on the Jazz, where he made an All-Star team once.
Hedo Turkoglu
Hedo Turkoglu was a member of the Kings team that was not able to realize his potential due to the depth on the team. Turkoglu showed flashes of his potential, averaging 10.1 points and 4.5 rebounds in his second season off the bench. After three seasons in Sacramento and one in San Antonio, he finally found his role playing for the Magic.
He was part of the team that revolutionized the offensive style, surrounding Dwight Howard with shooters. As a playmaker who could shoot, Turkoglu found the perfect role for himself.
Ben Wallace
Ben Wallace had to play for two teams before making it to the Detroit Pistons. The previous two teams didn’t understand his potential to the point that the Magic played him at power forward. In Detroit, he immediately showed how great a defender he can be. He was the centerpiece of the defensive juggernaut in Detroit, winning four DPOY awards in a span of five years.
Boris Diaw
Boris Diaw is a classic example of a player who was misused during his early years. In his first two seasons in Atlanta, the 6-foot-8 Diaw played either shooting guard or small forward. Once he was shipped to the Phoenix Suns, his career took off thanks to Mike D’Antoni’s offensive genius. He deployed Diaw at power forward and let him run the offense at times.
He went from an underachieving prospect to one of the more underrated forwards in the NBA. In his first season with the Suns, he won the Most Improved Player of the Year award.
Can Kuminga Follow This Path?
There are several NBA players who benefited from a change of scenery on this list who have been in a similar situation as Jonathan Kuminga. Right now, following a career path of any of these players will do wonders for his value. There is no denying that Kuminga is a good player who can thrive. But he needs the right system and team that will allow him more playing time and chances. But one thing is certain: he will almost have to change teams to get that.
Photo credit: © Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
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