Where are they now? Looking back at the 2020 Lakers championship team
By Jimmy James
12. Quinn Cook
Quinn Cook stayed with the Los Angeles Lakers until 2021, when he was ultimately waived. He then went to the Cleveland Cavaliers where a 10-day contract failed to lead to anything more long-term.
Since that brief stint in Cleveland, Cook pivoted to a completely overseas-dominated career, playing in several different countries. He was most recently on the Cangrejeros de Santurce in Puerto Rico, but departed the team back on May 3.
13. J.R. Smith
After a championship with the Cavaliers and then that crucial mistake in the last seconds of Game 1 of the 2018 NBA Finals, Smith spent one more season with the Cavs until he was waived in 2019. Then, during the pandemic, Smith joined the Lakers before their bubble run and was able to pick up a second ring.
Smith only played in 16 games for the Lakers, and averaged 2.0 points per game in those playoffs. After that, the two-time champion switched sports. Smith went from three-pointers to 9-irons as he went back to school, playing on North Carolina A&T’s golf team.
14. JaVale McGee
JaVale McGee has spent time with five teams since his time with the Lakers. He joined the Cleveland Cavaliers, Denver Nuggets, Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, and, this past season, played 46 games for the Sacramento Kings. In Sacramento, he averaged 7.6 points per game. The Kings lost in the play-in round of this year’s playoffs.