Heading toward the NBA trade deadline on February 20, the Los Angeles Lakers were rumored to be exploring a number of different options. Jordan Hill, Chris Kaman and Pau Gasol were being dangled as trade bait with potentially a few trades set to go down.
Ultimately, the Lakers decided to pull the trigger on only one deal to send Steve Blake to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for MarShon Brooks and Kent Bazemore. Not only did losing Blake to the Warriors not sit well with Kobe Bryant, but another superstar wasn’t happy about the trade either.
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According to Ric Bucher of Bleacher Report, Stephen Curry wasn’t pleased to hear about Bazemore heading to Los Angeles:
Even losing Kent Bazemore, the team’s 12th man, right before the trade deadline angered Stephen Curry enough that after the trade was announced before a game in Sacramento against the Kings, Curry ran past Myers’ press conference and yelled, “It’s a business!”
Fortunately for Bazemore, the move proved to be beneficial for the 24-year-old guard. Bazemore quickly made an impression after receiving considerable playing time from head coach Mike D’Antoni.
With Bazemore proving to be force offensively with the Lakers, the team may elect to give him an offer in the off-season. Even if the Lakers don’t bring him back, another team will almost certainly reach out this summer.
As for the Warriors, the team made a bold move in firing head coach Mark Jackson after falling to the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 7 of their first-round playoff series. Changes are on the horizon in Oakland with the players not crazy about the departure of Jackson.
Along with Bazemore, Blake will become a free agent this summer and hasn’t ruled out a return to Los Angeles. The backcourt in Los Angeles could be crowded with Steve Nash, Kendall Marshall and Jordan Farmar potentially returning, but Blake may still be in consideration for the Lakers once free agency gets underway.
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