Headlined by LeBron James, Anthony Davis and the newly acquired Russell Westbrook, the Los Angeles Lakers immediately established themselves as a contender again in the Western Conference.
The Lakers lifted the NBA championship in the Orlando bubble in 2020. This past season, however, the Phoenix Suns eliminated L.A. in the first round of the playoffs.
The Lakers have had a busy offseason thus far, signing veterans and young talent to inexpensive deals.
Carmelo Anthony, Trevor Ariza, Dwight Howard and Wayne Ellington are the prominent win-now players L.A. has inked to one-year deals.
Also on that list is Kent Bazemore, who signed a one-year contract after playing for the Golden State Warriors last season.
Bazemore has played alongside premier talent before, but in his introductory press conference, he had high praise for the Lakers’ squad entering the season, via Ryan Ward of Lakers Nation:
Kent Bazemore: "We are the best team in basketball. That will be my message all year."
— Ryan Ward (@RyanWardLA) August 10, 2021
Bazemore should play an important role for the Lakers: He can guard three positions thanks to his wingspan and defensive IQ.
He also made a career-high 40.8 percent of his 3s last season, so he’ll be a nice catch-and-shoot weapon alongside L.A.’s new big three.
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