Carlos Boozer wasn’t thrilled when he lost his starting job with the Los Angeles Lakers. But he has flourished in his new role off the bench.
The 33-year-old power forward isn’t playing noticeably less in his new incarnation—25.2 minutes per game compared to 26.4. But there has been an uptick in production, with 14.2 points and 8.7 rebounds over nine appearances as a reserve, versus 11.9 points and 6.6 boards as a starter.
And while L.A.’s record of four wins and five losses during Boozer’s tenure as a sub isn’t great, it’s certainly better than the 5-14 record the team registered while he was a member of the starting five.
As Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times pointed out, Boozer offered a dissenting view when Byron Scott replaced him with Ed Davis: “I’m sure Byron’s trying to find a way for us to win games. That’s just his opinion. I have a different opinion. I’ll keep it to myself.”
Voicing those thoughts may have seemed an odd way of keeping them to himself, but since then, Boozer has been the consummate pro, letting his game carry the conversation. He has also shown nothing but support for his teammates.
An NCAA champion at Duke, Boozer was drafted in the second round by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2002. A perennial starter with the Cavs,Utah Jazz and Chicago Bulls, he has been to the playoffs the past eight years running, is a two-time All-Star and has won Olympic bronze and gold with Team USA.
But after four seasons in Chicago, Boozer was waived through the amnesty provision. The Lakers tendered the winning bid of $3.25 million, which left Chicago still footing $13.6 million for the season, although that money no longer counts against their salary cap and luxury tax.
At the same time, Pau Gasol left the Lakers as a free agent and signed with the Bulls.
Los Angeles has not generally been viewed as the victor in the big-man exchange—Gasol is averaging 18.2 points, 11.5 rebounds and two blocks per game, for a team currently in fourth place in the Eastern Conference.
Boozer, meanwhile, is coming off the bench for a team that’s an overwhelming long shot to make the playoffs.
But, he has showed a renewed determination since his demotion, including a strong game Tuesday night against the Golden State Warriors—the top team in the NBA. With Kobe Bryant sitting out to rest, the underdog Lakers stunned watchers with a convincing winthat included seven players scoring in double figures.
Leading the way in that feel-good effort was Boozer with 18 points on 8-of-11 shooting, along with nine boards, three assists and a block—all in 26 economical minutes off the pine.
After the game, per Lakers.com, the seasoned veteran answered questions about the team stepping up in Bryant’s absence: “You can’t replace a guy like Kobe, obviously. But I thought collectively, we did a great job, helping each other out on both sides of the ball, and we just played with such energy. We’re going to take that on the road up to Chicago for Christmas, and on to Dallas too.”
Asked whether team basketball could be played with Bryant back on the floor, Boozer replied affirmatively: “Absolutely, why not? Absolutely, we can. We’ve had games like that. We just have to do it more on a consistent basis.”
Christmas night in Chicago, Bryant missed a second straight game, attributing it to old age and soreness, per ESPN. For Boozer, it was the first time playing against the team that unceremoniously dumped him. It was also a return to his old stomping grounds as a bench player.
L.A. kept the game reasonably close for three quarters, with the Bulls pulling away in the final frame, 113-93. Boozer was by far the most effective Laker off the bench, scoring 14 points on 7-of-11 shooting.
Nobody can predict what the rest of the season will hold for a player who was widely seen as being on the decline when he arrived. Boozerdidn’t change that perception with plummeting stats and a tendency to stand and watch as opposing players sailed past unchallenged for easy buckets in the paint.
Yet the player who has shown up lately is making a new case for himself. His All-Star days may be long past, but he’s paying dividends in a new and unexpected capacity.
The 13-year frontcourt player will be a free agent at season’s end. The rebuilding Lakers could decide that an aging power forward is not in their future plans. Or, they might try to negotiate a new deal.
By the same token, Boozer could try to get more money and a starting role somewhere else.
But if he continues making solid contributions and providing veteran leadership, a legitimate case will be made: The journeyman does indeed offer value.