Lakers Rumors: Carlos Boozer Unlikely To Return To Lakers

Carlos Boozer became available to the Los Angeles Lakers after being waived by the Chicago Bulls via the amnesty clause. He was claimed off waivers and had no choice but to come to Los Angeles. Now, with the power to choose his next destination, it appears a return to the Lakers is unlikely.

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Many criticized his initial acquisition because of the little flexibility he brought. Boozer could not be traded as part of the way he came to the Lakers. No matter how well he played, he would bring no return value.

According to Mark Medina of the LA Daily News, we’ve probably seen the last of Boozer in purple and gold:

"Yet, it seems unlikely Boozer would return amid the Lakers’ quest to develop rookie Julius Randle and Boozer’s possible hope for a bigger role.“That’s another one of those questions we can’t answer right now,” Scott said. “A lot of it depends on the draft and free-agent market.”"

The news comes as little surprise, with a crowded front court getting in the way of his minutes late in the season. Next season, with Julius Randle‘s return imminent, Jordan Hill‘s team option and whomever the Lakers target as free agents, minutes might be even harder to come by.

Boozer is also at the stage in his career where he’d prefer to help a contender win a title. This might be his last contract lasting longer than a year, so he’ll have to be all the more specific about his expectations in his next destination.

Fans of tanking expected big things from Boozer, but he actually played fairly well throughout the season, leaving those fans without the punchline they anticipated. On the year, he averaged nearly 12 points and 7 rebounds per game, playing just about 21 minutes in the 71 games he appeared in. Those numbers are obviously below his career averages, but are definitely higher than most expected.

One thing is for sure, Boozer was incredibly professional as a Laker, regardless of situation. Though his minutes fluctuated in a contract year, he rarely showed frustrations publicly and was at the center of numerous stories about mentoring the youthful roster. Though he’ll likely never regain starter’s minutes, he could still earn a role in a contender’s rotation.

Next: Lakers Review: How Did Jordan Clarkson Perform This Year?

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