It takes a special player to become the all-time leading scorer for an NBA franchise.
The league has been around for over 75 years. There are only 30 franchises which means that 30 special players own an all-time scoring record. With that said, some players were fortunate to play long enough for multiple franchises and held multiple records. Those players are on a completely different tier when it comes to legendary status.
The league has come a long way in regard to offensive abilities. One-third of the league has an active player owning an all-time scoring record. That is right. Ten franchises have a player in the league that owns their record. Those active all-time leaders in points feature some special players that have been able to stick around in the league for a long time. Several other players rank second in their team history and could make a run at the record this year.
From the top to the bottom, we look at the active all-time leaders in points for every NBA team.
Atlanta Hawks – Al Horford (8,288 Points, 13th Place)
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Horford played for the Hawks for nine seasons and made a couple of All-Star appearances. He is going to be passed by Trae Young very soon. Young is in 14th place with 7,901 points. If Young stays with the team for the foreseeable future, he has a run at becoming the ninth player in team history to record at least 10,000 career points with the Hawks.
In 2007, the Hawks drafted Horford with the No. 3 overall pick. His career high with the team was 18.6 points in 29 games during the 2013-14 season. For a full season, he averaged 17.4 points during the 2012-13 season. He left the Hawks in 2016 and joined the Boston Celtics.
Boston Celtics – Jayson Tatum (8,628 Points, 16th Place)
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Tatum displayed his scoring abilities on Christmas Day by scoring 41 points for the second time in three games. Tatum is on a roll towards scoring 10,000 career points, which would make him the 14th Celtics player to ever accomplish that goal. In six seasons, Tatum is hanging around some household names such as Tom Sanders, Don Nelson, Antoin Walker, and Tom Heinsohn.
The last familiar player to make a run at the all-time scoring mark was Paul Pierce, who ranks second to all-time leading scorer John Havlicek. In 16 seasons, Havlicek scored 26,395 points. Given the youth of Tatum and his scoring abilities, he would need 10 more seasons. Tatum is just 24 years old, so who knows what the future holds.
Brooklyn Nets – Brook Lopez (10,444 Points, 1st Place)
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Lopez holds this record by just four points over Buck Williams. It’s truly one of the most remarkable records when you look at how close it was. It took Lopez one more season, though, as Lopez scored his points in nine seasons compared to the eight seasons of Wiliams.
Nonetheless, Lopez was an All-Star with the Nets, so he was no slouch. Lopez scored at least 20.0 points per game four times with the team. There are only two players that have reached 10,000 career points with the Nets. Joe Harris is the next active player with 4,692 career points, while Durant is 29th on the all-time scoring list.
Chicago Bulls – Derrick Rose (8,001 Points, 10th Place)
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Five players have reached 10,000 career points with the Bulls, but none of those players are active. For now, Rose owns the most points with just over 8,000 for his Bulls career. As many true fans know, Rose saw his career in Chicago cut short due to multiple injuries. His professional career was resurrected with the Pistons and the Knicks. Fans can only be hopeful that he will make one last homecoming with the team before he retires.
Zach LaVine is 12th on the all-time scoring list with 7,269 points. LaVine is in the first year of a five-year deal. If LaVine stays with the team, then it’s possible he could join the 10K club. However, trade rumors are circulating, and LaVine’s name is mentioned multiple times.
Charlotte Hornets – Kemba Walker (12,009 Points, 1st Place)
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Kemba Walker leaving the Hornets feels like it was the start of the downhill path for his career. Walker left the Hornets in 2019 because the team did not want to pay their all-time leading scorer. He joined the Celtics and played one All-Star season. After that, he struggled on the floor and then bounced around the Thunder, Knicks, and Mavericks.
When Walker was with the Hornets, he put together four consecutive seasons of at least 20.0 points per game. He made the Hornets relevant during his time. He is also the only player in team history to ever reach 10,000 career points. Terry Rozier is the next active player with 4,431 points, which ranks 12th all-time.
Cleveland Cavaliers – LeBron James (23,119 Points, 1st Place)
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James owns this record, and it’s not even close. Four players have reached 10,000 career points, but only one player has made it to 20,000. James owns the mark over Zydrunas Ilgauskas (10,616 points). That includes making 8,369 field goals, 1,251 3-point field goals, and 5,130 free throws. All of his records are nearly double that of Ilgauskas.
The Cavaliers drafted James with the No. 1 overall pick in 2003. He reached 20.0 points per game or more in every season up to when he left in 2010. Then, he came back to the team in 2014 and rattled off four seasons of at least 25.0 points per game. Among other active players, Kyrie Irving is 8th with 8,232 points, while Kevin Love is 9th with 7,553 points.
Dallas Mavericks – Luka Doncic (7,978 Points, 7th Place)
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In five seasons, Doncic is quickly rising through the ranks. In his first season, Doncic averaged 12.2 points. He followed that with 28.8, 27.7, and 28.4 points per game. This year, Doncic averaged 32.8 points and is contending for his first scoring title. On top of that, he is a triple-double machine, averaging 8.5 rebounds and 8.0 assists for his career.
In 21 seasons, Dirk Nowitzki set the all-time scoring record with 31,650 points, which is nearly double that of the runner-up Rolando Blackman’s 16,643 points. If Doncic stays with the Mavericks for his entire career, this will be a similar situation to a player like Trae Young. Among the active players on the team, Dwight Powell’s 4,081 points are 20th with the Mavericks.
Denver Nuggets – Nikola Jokic (11,102 Points, 4th Place)
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Carmelo Anthony is third on the team’s list with 13,970 points, but he is currently a free agent. That means that Jokic is the next leader of the team. Jokic was the fourth player to join the 10K club, and there is no sign of stopping him. Assuming Jokic plays out his contract, he could finish the deal as the all-time leading scorer if he continues to play at this high level.
The two-time MVP began his NBA career with 9.9 points. He followed that with seasons of 16.7 and 18.5 points. Since 2018, he has played like an All-Star, scoring 20.0 points per game in all but one season. The last three seasons have seen outputs of 26.4, 27.1, and 25.4 points per game. Will Barton was 10th on the list with 6,695 points but was traded in the offseason, while Jamal Murray is 12th with 6,127 points.
Detroit Pistons – Andre Drummond (8,531 Points, 11th Place)
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No active player is in the top 10, and no current member of the Pistons is in the top 20. The Pistons have fallen on hard times as the team continues to rebuild their franchise. Maybe, one day a player like Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, or Saddiq Bey can make a run one day.
Drummond was an All-Star rebounder with the Pistons but was consistent inside as well. Drummond averaged 17.8 points with the team before he was traded during the 2019-20 season. For a full season, his best was 17.3 points per game the year before.
Golden State Warriors – Stephen Curry (20,843 Points, 1st Place)
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The best dynamic duo in team history both own over 10,000 career points with the team. Klay Thompson ranks seventh with 13,141 career points. For Thompson, he would flirt with career records on several teams, but he has a teammate in Stephen Curry. The all-time leader in 3-point field goals is the only player to have over 20,000 career points with the Warriors.
Wilt Chamberlain owned the record with 17,783 career points, while Rick Barry, Paul Arizin, and Chris Mullin each own career totals of over 15,000 points. With that said, Curry is cementing his legacy as an all-time great. Curry won two scoring titles with the Warriors and once shot over 400 3-point field goals in a season. The next goal is likely going to be 25,000 career points.
Houston Rockets – James Harden (18,365 Points, 2nd Place)
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Harden was acquired by the team in 2012 and then became one of the best scorers ever. In his first season, he averaged 25.9 points per game and never looked back. He averaged at least 25.0 points per game in all but one season. That included three consecutive seasons of at least 30.0 points per game.
Harden won three consecutive scoring titles with the team and won an MVP Award. His 36.1 points per game during the 2018-19 season was one of the best averages in the modern era. Despite leaving the team, Harden has left the door open to returning to the team. If that happens, maybe he can make a run at Hakeem Olajuwon’s team record of 26,511 points.
Indiana Pacers – Paul George (8,090 Points, 8th Place)
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George coming back to the Pacers is very unlikely, so his spot on this list will either stay the same or go down. When George played with the team, he was one of the better two-way players in the league. George averaged at least 20.0 points per game three times.
The next active player on the list is Myles Turner, who has 5,923 career points. Turner is 12th on the all-time list. Turner is potentially going to leave the Pacers this season or in the offseason. Two players have reached 10,000 career points with the team. Those include Reggie Miller and Rik Smiths. Altogether, it seems like the wait will continue.
Los Angeles Clippers – Blake Griffin (10,863 Points, 2nd Place)
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The former No. 1 overall pick forced fans to wait for his arrival when he missed his first season completely due to injury. Then, he wowed everyone in his rookie season and at the Slam Dunk Contest. Griffin smashed home so many dunks on his way to 10,000 career points. Griffin made 144 3-point field goals, but he was a primary inside scorer.
Griffin had seven seasons with at least 20.0 points per game. He was a part of the infamous “Lob City” era. The big three of Griffin, Chris Paul, and DeAndre Jordan are in the top-10 scoring list. Paul is 6th with 7,674 points, and Jordan is 8th with 7,078 points.
Los Angeles Lakers – LeBron James (6,720 Points, 20th Place)
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Given that the team is a storied franchise, there is a long list of decorated scorers. The top 12 alone all have scored at least 10,000 career points. Pau Gasol ranks 17th on the list with 7,610 points, while Derek Fisher is 18th with 7,223 points. Both players are within reach of LeBron James, who creeps into the top 20 in his fifth season.
LeBron’s first season featured 27.4 points per game. He followed that with 25.3 and 25.0 points. Last year, he averaged 30.3 points per game in 56 games. He did not play enough games to qualify for the scoring race. This year, James is averaging 27.8 points per game.
Memphis Grizzlies – Mike Conley Jr. (11,733 Points, 1st Place)
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Two players have reached 10,000 career points with the team. Marc Gasol is second on the team with 11,684 points. Conley remains in the league as a reliable point guard. With the Grizzlies, Conley scored his total in 12 seasons and never made an All-Star Game.
Ja Morant looks like the future in Memphis, though. In four seasons, Morant is ninth on the all-time scoring list with 4,685 points. Dillon Brooks, in six seasons, is right behind him with 4,470 points that, rank sixth.
Miami Heat – LeBron James (7,919 Points, 4th Place)
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To put into perspective what James did in Miami, he remains fourth on the all-time scoring list in four seasons. During that time, James averaged 26.7, 27.1, 26.8, and 27.1 points per game. The team made the NBA Finals four times and won two championships. James was also the league MVP in 2012 and 2013.
The team owns just one player with at least 10,000 career points. Dwyane Wade owns the record with 21,556 points. The big three of Wade, James, and Chris Bosh, fifth with 6,914 career points, ran the table those years between 2011 and 2014. Udonis Haslem is seventh with 6,562 points in 20 seasons.
Milwaukee Bucks – Giannis Antetokounmpo (15,195 Points, 1st Place)
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Last year, Giannis passed a legendary name. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was the team’s all-time leading scorer for over four decades. Antetokounmpo was the first Finals MVP Award winner since Abdul-Jabbar, so it was only fitting that he was the player that took over the scoring record as well.
Abdul-Jabbar set the record in six seasons, while it took Giannis nine seasons. Fans aren’t going to be worried about that though, as it means he remains in Milwaukee. Some of his standout seasons include averaging 29.5 points during the 2019-20 season. This year, he is averaging 31.2 points in 28 games. Khris Middleton is another active player in the top 10 with 11,040 points, which ranks seventh.
Minnesota Timberwolves – Karl-Anthony Towns (11,606 Points, 2nd Place)
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Assuming Towns remains with the team, he should one day overtake Kevin Garnett for the team record. Towns are just the second player to score over 10,000 career points. Towns have used the 3-point shot to help him get there quicker. Garnett made just 164 3-point field goals in his 14-season tenure with the team. Towns have made 817 3-point field goals.
Towns own just one season of fewer than 20.0 points per game. That was his rookie season when he scored 18.3 points per game in 2015-16. Among other active players, Andrew Wiggins is third with 8,710 points, while Kevin Love is fifth. Ricky Rubio is 11th, but all eyes will be on rising star Anthony Edwards. In his third season, Edwards is 15th with 3,692 career points.
New Orleans Pelicans – Anthony Davis (11,059 Points, 1st Place)
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Before Davis was traded to the Lakers, he was the all-time leading scorer. Davis is the only player in team history with over 10,000 career points. In seven seasons, Davis made 4,153 career field goals, including 2,572 free throws. Before Davis, David West held the record with 8,690 career points.
Davis was the No. 1 overall pick in 2012. He averaged 13.5 points his rookie year but then has never averaged less than 20.0 points per game. Davis once averaged 28.0 and 28.1 points in back-to-back seasons in 2016 and 2017. Among active players, Brandon Ingram is fifth in team history with 4,485 points, while Zion Williamson is 12th with 2,816 points.
New York Knicks – Julius Randle (5,192 Points, 28th Place)
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Carmelo Anthony could join a team, but since he is a free agent, we are not counting him. Anthony is seventh on the team’s list with 10,186 points. He is one of seven players to reach 10,000 career points. Anthony was the last true great scoring player for the Knicks in recent memory. As you can tell by Randle’s place, the team has not been that fortunate.
In four seasons, Randle has made an All-Star Game once. He averaged 19.5 points in his first season. After that, he made the All-Star Game when he averaged 24.1 points and 10.2 rebounds. In the last two years, Randle has averaged 20.1 and 23.1 points.
Oklahoma City Thunder – Russell Westbrook (18,859 Points, 1st Place)
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Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant are right up there with John Stockton and Karl Malone as the greatest dynamic duo to never win a championship together. The team came close in 2012 when they made the NBA Finals as a pair of youngsters. As they grew older, both Durant and Westbrook won an MVP Award with the Thunder.
Durant is third on the team scoring list with 17,566 points in nine seasons. He left the team in 2016 after the team blew a 3-1 lead to the 73-win Warriors in the Conference Finals. Westbrook remained with the team, averaged a triple-double, and won the league MVP Award the year after. Westbrook narrowly beat out Gary Payton’s 18,207 career points to reign supreme.
Orlando Magic – Nikola Vucevic (10,423 Points, 3rd Place)
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If Dwight Howard was still in the NBA, we would talk about him. Howard is the all-time leading scorer with 11,435 points. However, he is playing internationally. Nick Anderson owns 10,650 points, while Vucevic was the third and last player to reach the 10K club with the Magic before he was traded to the Bulls.
Vucevic averaged 20.8 points during the 2018-19 season and then his career-high 24.5 points in 44 games during the 2020-21 season, which was the year he was traded to Chicago. Oftentimes, Vucevic was averaging a double-double, but we often forget he was scoring the bulk of the points too.
Philadelphia 76ers – Andre Iguodala (9,422 Points, 9th Place)
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Iguodala remains active for now, even though he has yet to make an appearance for the Warriors. Last year, he played in 31 games and won his fourth championship with the team. Iguodala last played for the 76ers in 2012. During that time, he once averaged 19.9 points during the 2007-08 season.
The real talk should be about Joel Embiid, who is on pace to join the 10K club. Embiid owns 9,330 career points in seven seasons. That ranks him 10th on the all-time list. Embiid will eventually become the ninth player to score at least 10,000 career points with the team.
Phoenix Suns – Devin Booker (12,003 Points, 6th Place)
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It feels like it is a matter of time before Booker becomes the team’s all-time leading scorer. In eight seasons, Booker is on the verge of passing Dick Van Arsdale (12,060 points) for a top 5 spot. The players above Booker are Shawn Marion, Kevin Johnson, Alvan Adams, and the all-time leader Walter Davis (15,666 points).
Booker was the first player since Kobe Bryant to reach at least 70 points in a game. He has averaged less than 20.0 points per game just once, which was his rookie season. This year, Booker is averaging 27.1 points. That is on pace for a career-high.
Portland Trail Blazers – Damian Lillard (18,115 Points, 1st Place)
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Since being drafted by the Trail Blazers, Lillard has done everything possible to make the team competitive. Lillard has averaged more than 20.0 points per game all but one year. That was his rookie season that he missed, and he still averaged 19.0 points per game. Lillard averaged 20.0 points during the 2019-20 season and owns four seasons of at least 27.0 points per game.
Three of the top five members of the all-time scoring list are within the last decade. LaMarcus Aldridge ranks third with 12,562 points, and C.J. McCollum is fifth with 10,710 points. It was not until this season that Lillard overtook the record, passing the former record of 18,040 points by Clyde Drexler.
Sacramento Kings – De’Aaron Fox (6,798 Points, 18th Place)
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DeMarcus Cousins remains a free agent, so he does not count for now. Cousins ranks sixth with 9,894 points. Between Cousins and Fox, these are the only two prolific scorers in the last 10 years. Four players own at least 10,000 career points, but nobody has made that club since Mitch Richmond.
Oscar Robertson owns the team record with 22,009 points, but Fox has a long way to go. In six seasons, Fox has reached 20.0 points per game four times. Fox had his career high of 25.2 points during the 2020-21 season.
San Antonio Spurs – Kawhi Leonard (6,654 Points, 10th Place)
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LaMarcus Aldridge is a free agent and would rank higher if he was active. Aldridge ranks eighth with 7,325 points. The Spurs were lucky to have a dynasty for many years with great scorers. Aldridge was Leonard’s former teammate, which included making a run to the Conference Finals in 2017.
Leonard reached his total in seven seasons. The 2014 Finals MVP winner wasn’t just a dependable scorer but also a former Defensive Player of the Year. Leonard averaged 20.0 points per game two times. That included his career-best 25.5 points during the 2016-17 season.
Toronto Raptors – DeMar DeRozan (13,296 Points, 1st Place)
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The Raptors made a gamble in the 2018 offseason. The Raptors decided to trade away DeMar DeRozan, who was the team’s all-time leading scorer. DeRozan was a fan favorite that helped take the Raptors to a next level. However, the gamble paid off as Kawhi Leonard, and Danny Green came to town. Leonard won the Finals MVP Award as Toronto won their first-ever championship.
DeRozan averaged at least 20.0 points per game in five seasons with the team. That included 27.3 points during the 2016-17 season. Before he was traded, he was coming off of a season where he averaged 23.0 points. His longtime teammate, Kyle Lowry, is second with 10,540 points. DeRozan, Lowry, and Chris Bosh are the only members of the 10K club.
Utah Jazz – Donovan Mitchell (8,234 Points, 8th Place)
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Rounding out the top 10 of the Jazz scoring list is Mitchell, Gordon Hayward (8,077 points), and Rudy Gobert (7,592 points). Each of these players helped the Jazz contend for playoff spots during their time. The combination of Mitchell and Gobert even led the Jazz to the best record in the league in 2021. Mitchell and Gobert were traded this last offseason to the Cavaliers and Timberwolves, respectively. It sparked a conversation about Mitchell’s jersey being retired.
Being eight on the list with zero appearances in the NBA Finals is a tough sell, but Mitchell was a solid player for the franchise for five seasons. Out of all of the players in the top 10, he made the most 3-point field goals with 958. With that said, Mitchell failed to make the 10K point club. Four players are in that category with Darrell Griffith, Adrian Dantley, John Stockton, and Karl Malone. It’s going to take a special player to break Malone’s team record of 36,374.
Washington Wizards – Bradley Beal (14,753 Points, 2nd Place)
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Beal has a chance to break the record with the Wizards if he stays healthy. If not, next year will be a guarantee. Elvin Hayes owns a team record of 15,551 points in nine seasons. It’s been a long time since a player has been mentioned in that category. John Wall scored 10,879 points with the team in nine seasons and was believed to be the player to do it, but injuries detoured the course of his career.
Beal owns 11 seasons with the team. He is the only player in team history to hit at least 1,000 3-point field goals, owning 1,467 made treys. Beal owns seven consecutive seasons of, averaging 20.0 points per game or more. In 2020-21, he contended for the scoring title with Stephen Curry but finished second with 31.3 points per game. After signing a five-year extension with the team, Beal will shoot for 20,000 career points if he stays in Washington for the duration of that deal.
Source: fadeawayworld
