3 Free Agent Ex-Lakers Role Players Auditioning For Recent Champs
Three free agent former Los Angeles Lakers role players, including one champion, are pursuing another opportunity with one of LA's direct Pacific Division competitors.
Per Shams Charania and Anthony Slater of The Athletic, the Golden State Warriors will be working out 2020 Lakers shooting guard Dion Waiters and 2021-22 Lakers guard Kent Bazemore and 2022-23 forward Juan Toscano-Anderson at their practice facility during the next two weeks.
The Athletic writers reveal that several other free agents will hope to ply their wares for the 2022 champs: journeyman wing Tony Snell, big man Harry Giles III and undersized point guard Trey Burke.
The Warriors currently have two open spots on their standard 15-man roster.
Waiters, 31, hasn't played for an NBA franchise since winning it all with Los Angeles during the 2020 Orlando "bubble" at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The 6'3" combo guard played legitimate rotation minutes for LA during its bubble regular season restart, but was squeezed out of lineups during the playoffs, averaging just 7.6 minutes per contest across a scant five games.
Toscano-Anderson was on that 2022 Warriors title team, but signed a minimum deal with LA last summer with an eye on more playing time. Instead, he was flipped to the Utah Jazz as part of LA's trade deadline Russell Westbrook trade. In 52 games between the Lakers and Jazz last season, JTA averaged jus 3.0 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 1.3 dimes a night. The 30-year-old is still fairly athletic and a decent defender in spot minutes, but never developed as a shooter.
Bazemore is hoping to latch on for his third separate stint in Golden State, having previously played for the Warriors from 2012-14 and again during the 2020-21 season. He has also suited up for Los Angeles across two different runs, once at the end of the 2013-14 season (after being flipped by the Warriors) and again in LA's ill-fated 2021-22 season (after the Warriors opted to not re-sign him as a free agent).
Golden State, whom LA defeated in the second round of the 2023 Western Conference playoffs this past spring, is hoping its retooled roster will help it stay competitive in 2024.
Are you following us on Twitter, Facebook, or YouTube yet? Join the conversation as we discuss the latest Lakers news and rumors with fans like you!
