It’s no secret that free agent point guard Mario Chalmers wants to play for the Los Angeles Lakers.
In a recent episode of the “Scoop B Radio” podcast, Chalmers broke down why he believes he would be a good fit with superstar LeBron James and the Lakers.
“For me, it’d just be my basketball IQ,” said Chalmers. “Like I said, I’ve been through almost every situation in basketball. I’ve been to four finals, won two of them, so there’s not much that’s happened in the basketball world that I’ve not seen.”
The point guard went on to speak about how his experience in the league can aid the younger guys as the Lakers prepare to go for a deep postseason run.
“I can definitely help a team,” Chalmers said. “I can come in there, give you some basketball knowledge. I help, I can get guys the open shot, I can play defense and I have chemistry with Bron. I have been on teams and have won championships with him before. It’s like, why not put some basketball minds together and let it work? You got one person that can do it on the court and you got another person that can create help. Teach the young guys and show what it takes to get to that level. I think that’s the main thing because you can’t prepare for something that you’ve never been to before. So that’s just one thing. That’s how I look at it from my perspective.”
Chalmers, 34, last played in the league with the Memphis Grizzlies during the 2017-18 season. He put up 7.7 points and 3.0 assists in 66 games for the Grizzlies that season.
The guard was drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves with the No. 34 pick in the 2008 NBA Draft. He was traded to the Miami Heat shortly after.
The fierce veteran made a name for himself in Miami. In fact, Chalmers gained popularity because of the role he played in each of the Heat’s playoff runs during the Big 3 era.
Next to James, the confident sharpshooter went to four NBA Finals, won two championships and captured the second-longest team winning streak in NBA history. Clearly, James and Chalmers had a fruitful partnership on the court.
The Lakers are the N0. 1 seed in the Western Conference. James is focused on bringing the Lakers a championship this season.
The 2019-20 campaign resumes on July 30.
