After eliminating the Dallas Mavericks, the Golden State Warriors will be making their sixth NBA Finals appearance in eight seasons.
Kent Bazemore congratulated his former Warriors teammates on Twitter. However, he stated that he can’t help but feel “sick,” probably because his current team, the Los Angeles Lakers, did not even reach the postseason this year.
Congrats to my homies…….
But I’m sick bruh 🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪
— Kenny Baze (@24Bazemore) May 27, 2022
The 32-year-old played for Golden State last season. The team failed to make the 2021 NBA Playoffs after losing twice in the play-in tournament. Bazemore averaged 19.9 minutes, 7.2 points and 3.4 rebounds per contest and started 18 of the 67 regular season games he played in for the Warriors.
In the ensuing offseason, he decided to leave and sign with the Lakers. He reportedly turned down a more lucrative contract from the Warriors in hopes of bagging a bigger role and getting an opportunity to win an elusive title with the Lakers.
Bazemore turned down more money and years (two) from the Warriors, sources say, but believes he will have a bigger role and opportunity to win a championship with the Lakers. Bazemore is betting on himself. https://t.co/rw1VyXMN9c
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 3, 2021
But as fate would have it, the Old Dominion University product was unsuccessful in nailing either of those two goals.
Bazemore began the 2021-22 season as a starter for the Lakers. But, he ended up starting in only 14 games and saw his minutes continue to dwindle as the season went on. The veteran finished the regular season playing in 39 games and posting averages of 3.4 points and 1.8 rebounds per match.
The Lakers eventually finished the season with a 33-49 record, good for 11th in the Western Conference. That extended Bazemore’s playoff drought. He last played in the playoffs in the 2016-17 season when he was still a member of the Atlanta Hawks.
