The Golden State Warriors, along with the Los Angeles Lakers, are among the top teams to foster talents and provide the right environment. There is a reason why they are so successful franchises. Moreover, the Warriors have won four titles in the last nine years. On the other hand, the Lakers won the championship last time in 2019-20. However, the Lakers have a full-size roster ready after signing Christian Wood. But the Warriors still have less than 15 players on their roster.
And certain players who didn’t make the Lakers roster are trying their luck with the Warriors. Even the San Francisco-based team may want to try some of these players from the Lakers scrap heap. After all, there are not many options remaining in the market. As per Hoops Hype’s Michael Scotto, the Warriors recently hosted seven NBA veterans for workouts. According to league sources, three of them were trying their luck with the Lakers recently, but didn’t work out.
Warriors Trying To Get Some Veterans From Lakers Scrap Heap
Some of these players are Stanley Johnson, Derrick Favors, Jaylen Nowell, Will Barton, Dewayne Dedmon, Juan Toscano-Anderson, and Kent Bazemore, who worked out with the Warriors. Bazemore and Anderson were former Warriors players. After a great season back in 2020-21 with the Golden States, Bazemore moved to LA for the 2021-22 season. However, he proved that he is not a worthy material for the rotation spot. Moreover, Bazemore didn’t play in the last season. On the other hand, Anderson joined the Lakers in 2022.
But soon, he proved that he was there only because of his connection with Klutch Sports. Even Anderson was not worthy of a rotation spot. Hence, the Lakers traded him with Russell Westbrook last February. However, Stanley Johnson has a lot of skills and potential. He was part of the Lakers and didn’t have much luck yet, but he showed some promise. He can suit well with the Warriors. Johnson is still 27 years old and still can prove his worth. He is good at defense and has a pretty good jump shot. If Johnson joins the Warriors, they can turn him into a solid, impactful three-and-d role player.
LeBron James & Steph Curry Help In The Growth Of Their Respective Franchises
The LA Lakers are the most successful team in history, along with their eternal rivals, the Boston Celtics. But in terms of popularity, at present, the Warriors and the LA Lakers rule in the NBA. Moreover, the two top players of the league, Stephen Curry and LeBron James, help their respective sides gain more fan following and viewership. But LeBron James has not been part of the Lakers his whole life. Prior to his time with the 17-time champions, King James was part of two other teams, the Cleveland Cavaliers (for two separate stints) and the Miami Heat. However, he has been the leader of the Lakers for the last five years.
On the other hand, Stephen Curry has always been a part of the Warriors since his NBA debut. These modern-day greats of the game increase their respective team’s value every year. Hence, every player dreams of getting part of the same rosters and, in the process, raises their stocks. Both the Warriors and Lakers have a pretty strong scouting program, and they have developed many players to get to their full potential. But if certain players struggle to adjust to the rosters of both teams, then that’s not a good sign for their future. Hence, they must try to get in and stay with either of the two teams.