The first five former Los Angeles Lakers players scheduled to play in the 2025 Conference Finals.
The Los Angeles Lakers are one of the most skilled teams in NBA history. They are second only to the Boston Celtics, which are on most NBA championship lists.
Given that they are lucrative major market destinations, purple and gold have never been beyond the power of the stars, except for a few ups and downs over the years.
But at the same time, the Lakers allow many players to walk. Speaking of which, there are five NBA players who allow the Lakers to leave in recent history and play in the 2025 conference final.
Alex Caruso came right after an incredible 7-game series with the Denver Nuggets as he appeared as the leader of the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Caruso was a member of the Lakers’ roster that won the 2020 NBA Championship. He spent four years with purple and gold.
Statistics since leaving La Lakers: 7.6 ppg, 3.3 RPG, and 3.2 APG
Another talented security guard became a solid member of the New York Knicks during the 2024-25 NBA season. Josh Hart’s durability and shooting make him a perfect fit for the team.
Hart has been traded with the New Orleans Pelicans as part of a huge package that will help the Lakers welcome Anthony Davis to the roster.
Statistics since leaving La Lakers: 11.1 ppg, 8.0 rpg, and 3.8 APG
The rest of the players on the list have played for Purple and Gold at some point in their careers, but McDaniels was drafted by the team in the 2020 NBA Draft.
On draft night, McDaniels was traded for lightning, and just a few days later the 28th overall pick was sent to the Timberwolves.
Statistics since leaving La Lakers: 10.3 ppg, 4.2 RPG, and 1.5 APG
Julius Randle is undoubtedly one of the most talented players at the Western Conference. The Lakers drafted him using his seventh overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft.
Despite spending four years with the team, the Lakers allowed them to walk as a restricted free agent in 2018. The decision hurt the Lakers in the 2025 playoffs as Randle played a key role in eliminating them.
Statistics since leaving La Lakers: 21.8 ppg, 9.3 rpg, and 4.4 APG
The Lakers struggled to find quality centers throughout the 2024-25 season. Thomas Bryant isn’t someone who will immediately influence the roster, but he may have been a quality backup option.
After all, that’s what Bryant did for the Indiana Pacers this season and is now playing in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Statistics since leaving La Lakers: 8.8 ppg, 5.0 rpg, and 1.05 APG