Los Angeles Lakers: 3 greatest players with two stints in LA

By Jason Reed | Sep 23, 2021

LOS ANGELES, CA - MAY 18: Kobe Bryant #24 of the Los Angeles Lakers catches a pass as he fends off Derek Fisher #37 of the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game Three of the Western Conference Semifinals in the 2012 NBA Playoffs on May at Staples Center on May 18, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. The Lakers won 99-96. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images) /

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(Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers /

2. Gail Goodrich

Gail Goodrich is a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and even has his no. 25 retired by the Los Angeles Lakers. That might seem like grounds to easily make him the best player to have two stints with the Lakers but we will address why he is not no. 1 when we get to the actual no. 1.

Goodrich had an exceptional career with the Lakers. He wound up playing 687 games with the Lakers in his two stints and averaged 19.2 points, 4.0 assists and 3.2 rebounds per game. He was the third option on the 1972 NBA Championship team that finally got Jerry West over the hump behind both West and Wilt Chamberlain.

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Goodrich had a fantastic two-year playoff run for the Los Angeles Lakers. In 27 games in the 1971 and 1972 NBA Playoffs, Goodrich averaged 24.5 points, 5.2 assists and 2.8 rebounds. He was a huge part of the Lakers winning the title.

Goodrich had a two-season stint with the Phoenix Suns and he was not traded nor signed with the Suns. Instead, Goodrich was taken in the expansion draft by Phoenix, who traded him back to LA after two seasons.

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