A perennial starter and two-time All-Star, Boozer could be at the beginning of that long journeyman decline—playing out a series of one-year deals with diminishing returns. Or, he could become a useful cog for a team that is facing its own questions of reinvention.
The 32-year-old power forward has been to the playoffs for the past eight seasons in a row. He also played alongside Kobe Bryant for the 2008 U.S. gold-medal team in Beijing.
During his introductory press conference, Boozer said all the right things about reuniting with Bryant, per Dave McMenamin for ESPN LA:
I see his work ethic. I see his drive. I see his vision, his focus. And to be able to play with him here is going to be exciting. It's going to be magnified and I'm excited for it. He's one of the best players to ever put on a jersey and his drive to win is very contagious.
During that same presser, Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak said: “Personally I know he's going to have a great year this year and, at his age, there's no reason why he can't play three, four, five more years and I think that's his expectation as well.”
But at what level can Boozer still be expected to perform? It's no secret his stats have been decreasing in recent years. Last season, the 6'9” frontcourt player averaged 13.7 points and 8.3 rebounds, compared to the previous season's numbers of 16.2 points and 9.8 boards.
And going back to his prime years with the Utah Jazz, Boozer averaged 18.6 points and 10.2 rebounds over the course of six seasons.
As his game has slowly degraded, the veteran has found himself sitting on the bench during critical game situations. Tom Thibodeau, coach of the Bulls, increasingly assigned the bulk of ...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
