Last summer, the Los Angeles Lakers were expected to be major players in free agency as they were armed with a lot of cap space. Unfortunately for the team, they were unable to get a big-name player and that focus cost them other players.
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One of those players was former Laker Steve Blake who said he ‘absolutely’ had interest in signing with the team this past off-season according to Mark Medina of the LA Daily News:
Blake said he “absolutely” had interest in signing with the Lakers as a free agent this offseason. He reported the Lakers talked at the beginning of free agency, though they stayed in a holding pattern because of James and Anthony.”
Despite not coming back to Los Angeles, Blake still appreciates his time with the Lakers, and especially getting to play with Kobe Bryant:
It was great, the experience to play with one of the best players to play the game and one of the best competitors I played with,” Blake told L.A. News Group about Bryant. “That’s the way I like to play. More than that, we became friends.”
The Lakers traded Blake to the Golden State Warriors at the trade deadline last season in a move that was unpopular with many fans and Kobe himself, who loved Blake as a teammate.
Bringing him in would have really helped the Lakers who have struggled at the point guard position this season. Both Jeremy Lin and Ronnie Price have been inconsistent and Blake could have brought some stability and leadership to the team.
[divide]Lakers Kobe Bryant On Leadership, ‘I Drive A Hard Bargain’
