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The Los Angeles Lakers have acquired guards Kent Bazemore and MarShon Brooks from the Golden State Warriors in exchange for guard Steve Blake, it was announced today by General Manager Mitch Kupchak.
According to the Bay Area News Group, “The trade allowed the Warriors to grab a veteran guard while still leaving them roughly $400,000 under the luxury tax.”
Bazemore, 24, has appeared in 44 games for the Warriors this season, averaging 2.3 points in 6.1 minutes per game. In his two NBA seasons (both with the Warriors), the Old Dominion product holds averages of 2.1 points in 5.1 minutes per game over 105 contests. After not being selected in the 2012 NBA draft, Bazemore was signed by the Warriors as a free agent on July 26, 2012.
Brooks, 25, has appeared in a combined 17 games with Golden state and Boston this season, averaging 2.6 points and 1.4 rebounds in 5.2 minutes per contest. Originally drafted by the Celtics with the 25th overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, Brooks owns career averages of 7.8 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 146 games (49 starts) over three seasons with the New Jersey/Brooklyn Nets , Boston and Golden State. As a rookie with New Jersey in 2011-12, the 6’5” swingman averaged 12.6 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 56 games (47 starts), earning All-Rookie Second Team honors.
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Blake, 33, has appeared in 27 games (all starts) for the Lakers this season, averaging 9.5 points to go along with career highs of 7.6 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 1.26 steals in 33.0 minutes. He returned to action on Feb. 4 after missing the previous 26 contests with a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, and, in his second game back, recorded his second career triple-double with 11 points, 15 assists and 10 rebounds in a win over Cleveland on Feb. 5.
An 11-year NBA veteran, Blake holds career averages of 7.0 points, 4.1 assists, 2.2 rebounds and 25.2 minutes in 703 games (344 starts) with the Lakers, Washington Wizards, Portland Trail Blazers, Milwaukee Bucks, Denver Nuggets and L.A. Clippers, appearing in the postseason six times. For his career, Blake has converted on 39.0 percent of his three-pointers and boasts an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.84-to-1. The Maryland alum was originally selected by the Wizards in the second round (38th overall) of the 2003 NBA Draft after helping the Terrapins to their first-ever National Championship in 2002.
“The acquisition of Steve Blake will provide us with additional veteran depth at point guard as we enter the stretch run of the season,” said Warriors General Manager Bob Myers. “He’s had a productive career and is a player who can both run an offense and has the ability to shoot the basketball. On the other hand, we thank Kent and MarShon for their contributions to our team both on and off the court and wish them success as they enter the next stage of their careers.”
