Former Los Angeles Lakers guard Dennis Schroder is close to breaking the NBA record for the most franchises played for during a career.
The German was traded from the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Charlotte Hornets on Friday, making him the second-most-traded player of all time, behind Trevor Ariza. The Hornets will mark his 12th team, bringing him closer to Ish Smith’s record of 13.
Other players who’ve represented at least 12 teams include Chucky Brown (1990-2002), Jim Jackson (1993-2006), Tony Massenburg (1991-2005), Joe Smith (1996-2011) and Garrett Temple (2010-26). However, none of those players changed teams as rapidly as Schroder, who spent the first five seasons of his career with the Atlanta Hawks before becoming a journeyman.
Dennis Schroder: NBA’s Journeyman
Schroder, 32, is well on pace to break both Ariza and Smith’s records.
Ariza was traded 11 times over an 18-season career (2004–2022), whereas Schroder has been traded nine times in just eight years, beginning with his July 2018 move from the Hawks to the Oklahoma City Thunder. From there, Schroder has bounced across the league: to the Lakers (Nov. 2020), Houston Rockets (Feb. 2022, via Boston Celtics), Brooklyn Nets (Feb. 2024, via Toronto Raptors), Golden State Warriors (Dec. 2024), Detroit Pistons (Feb. 2025), Sacramento Kings (July 2025), Cleveland Cavaliers (Feb. 2026) and ultimately the Hornets.
Along the way, Schroder has also signed with several teams a free agent. In August 2021, he inked a one-year deal with the Celtics, before being shipped to the Rockets at the subsequent trade deadline. In Sept. 2022, he returned to the Lakers for a second stint and the following year, he inked a two-year deal with the Raptors. Last year, he signed a three-year deal with the Kings as part of a sign-and-trade via the Pistons.
Former Lakers Star Makes NBA History
If the Hornets trade Schroder before February’s NBA trade deadline, the veteran guard will play for his 13th team, equalling the all-time record of Ish Smith.
“Longtime backup point guard Ish Smith has played for the most NBA franchises of any player with 13,” wrote Sports Illustrated’s Blake Silverman.
“Over his 14-year career, the longest consecutive stint he had with one team was three straight seasons with the Pistons from 2016 to ’19. Of his 805 career games, he only reached 100 games with two teams: Detroit and Washington.”
Despite a turbulent NBA career, Schroder remains one of the premier point guards of his era. Driven by his dominant international play—which transformed Germany into a global powerhouse—several analysts believe he is on a Hall of Fame trajectory.
“To make matters weirder, Schroder has simultaneously become one of the most decorated international players of the 21st century,” highlighted LakeShowLife’s Maxwell Ogden. “He led Germany to gold medals at the 2023 FIBA World Cup and 2025 EuroBasket, winning MVP at both events.
“Ever the NBA journeyman, however, Schroder is now within a Hornets debut and one more team change of tying Smith for a rather unique record.”
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