10 NBA Superstars Who Switched Teams In Their Primes

For all intents and purposes, Moses Malone's NBA career began on the Houston Rockets in 1976. Moses spent his first two seasons in the Association adapting to the NBA style, as he had spent his first season as a professional in the ABA, but by 1978, he was playing like an all-timer.

Between 1978 and 1982, he averaged 25+ points and 14+ rebounds per game, leading the league in rebounds three times and winning two MVP awards. However, asides from a trip to the NBA Finals in 1981, Moses and the Rockets saw little success together.

In the summer of 1982, Moses shocked the basketball world by signing with the Philadelphia 76ers as a restricted free agent. The Sixers, led by the legendary Dr. J, had been to the NBA Finals twice in the past three years, but were stopped both times by Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's Los Angeles Lakers. They needed Mose to neutralize Kareem and help them achieve their championship dreams.

Their faith was well placed. In 1983, Moses and Dr. J led the Sixers to 65 wins and a clean sweep of the Lakers in the Finals, bringing the franchise their third NBA Championship.