Los Angeles Lakers Roster 2014-2015

Los Angeles Lakers current roster, including new players, pictures, draft picks and playoff roster for the 2014-15 NBA Season.

NEWS!!!: Byron Scott is the Lakers new Head Coach!

2014-2015 Season Roster:

  Lakers 2012-2013 roster: starters Nash, Howard, Bryant, Gasol and World Peace

Despite the disaster of the previous season the Lakers were willing to give Mike D'Antoni another opportunity in 2014-15 but the team's refusal to secure his future until 2016 led to the coach's resignation and the end of a forgettable era.

Without a coach and with just a couple of players with guaranteed contracts (Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash and Robert Sacre) the Lakers weren't able to convince free agents Carmelo Anthony or LeBron James so their rebuilding process started with the arrival of Jeremy Lin, Carlos Boozer and the return of some of their own free agents from the previous season. These movements made it a competitive roster but not good enough to play for a title, so the team still hope to have better luck with future free agents like LaMarcus Aldridge in 2015 or even Kevin Durant in 2016.

Phil Jackson, the coach they should have hired two years ago wasn't available, already working for the Knicks, so Mitch Kupchak and Jim Buss considered a lot of options before finally deciding to go with Byron Scott, a member of the Showtime era and an experienced coach.

On this page:
Complete Roster
They arrived
They left
They stay
Draft picks

Related:
2015 Schedule
2015 Season

2014-2015 Los Angeles Lakers roster and Players Status

Guards:
No. Player Position Ht Wt Yrs DOB more
20

Dwight Buycks

Point Guard 6-3 190 2 3/6/1989 profile
17 Jeremy Lin Point Guard 6-3 200 4 8/23/1988 profile
9

Ronnie Price

Point Guard 6-2 190 9 06/21/1983 profile
6 Jordan Clarkson Point / Shooting Guard 6-5 193 R 6/7/1992 profile
12 Vander Blue Shooting Guard 6-4 200 1 7/17/1992 profile
15 Jabari Brown Shooting Guard 6-6 214 R 12/18/1992 profile
24 Kobe Bryant Shooting Guard 6-6 205 18 8/23/1978 profile
2

Wayne Ellington

Shooting Guard 6-4 200 5 11/29/1987 profile
Forwards:
No. Player Position Ht Wt Yrs DOB more
0 Nick Young Shooting G / Small F. 6-7 210 7 6/1/1985 profile
11 Wesley Johnson Small Forward 6-7 215 4 7/11/1987 profile
5 Carlos Boozer Power Forward 6-9 258 12 11/20/1981 profile
21 Ed Davis Power Forward 6-10 225 4 6/5/1989 profile
4 Ryan Kelly Power Forward 6-11 228 1 4/9/1991 profile
30 Julius Randle Power Forward 6-9 250 R 11/29/1994 profile
Centers:
No. Player Position Ht Wt Yrs DOB more
27 Jordan Hill Power F. / Center 6-10 235 5 7/27/1987 profile
28 Tarik Black Center 6-11 257 R 11/22/1991 profile
50 Robert Sacre Center 7-0 260 2 6/6/1989 profile
Didn't play and retired:
No. Player Position Ht Wt Yrs DOB more
10 Steve Nash Point Guard 6-3 195 18 7/2/1974 profile
Played but were traded or waived:
No. Player Position Ht Wt Yrs DOB more
7 Xavier Henry (waived) Shooting Guard 6-6 220 4 3/15/1991 profile

Notes: Yrs means complete NBA seasons.

Head Coach: Byron Scott
Assistant Coaches:
(they are allowed to be on the bench) 
Paul Pressey
Jim Eyen
Mark Madsen
Player Development Coaches Larry Lewis
Athletic Trainer: Gary Vitti

2014-2015 Player Movement

They arrived: Lakers new Players and Coach

Byron Scott (Head Coach)

After contacting or interviewing a lot of coaches --Mike Dunleavy, Kurt Rambis, Alvin Gentry, Lionel Hollins, George Karlt-- the Lakers finally offered the job to Byron Scott, and he agreed to a a 4-year, $17million deal.

As a player, he won 3 NBA Championships during the Showtime era and spent a total of 11 seasons with the Lakers.

Assistant Coach Mark Madsen

After being a player development coach last season, he was promoted to assistant coach for 2014-15

 

Assistant Coach Paul Pressey

He worked with Byron Scott both with the Cleveland Cavaliers and New Orleans Hornets

Assistant Coach Jim Eyen

He was also with the team under coaches Pat Riley and Mike Dunleavy.

Jeremy Lin

The same day LeBron James decided to return to Cleveland, the Lakers also realized they had no chance of getting Carmelo Anthony and decided to finally start rebuild their roster for 2014-15 by acquiring point guard Jeremy Lin in a trade with the Rockets. They got Lin, the Houston's 2015 first round pick and a protected 2015 second round pick (in the 51-55 range) which was originally from the Clippers in exchange for cash and rights to Sergei Lishchuk, the 49th pick from the 2004 NBA draft, originally selected by the Grizzlies under the name Sergei Lishouk.

Lin arrives with a contract that has one year remaining worth $14.9 million, but its salary cap impact is just $8.4 million based on the deal structure. Having been unable to attract a big free agent this year, Lin's expiring contract gives the Lakers flexibility to try it again in 2015 when players like Kevin Love and LaMarcus Aldridge become free agents or in 2016 with Kevin Durant.

The Rockets made this trade that got them almost nothing in return just to clear the salary cap-space necessary to sign Chris Bosh who hours later decided to stay in Miami.

Ed Davis

The Lakers added Davis, an athletic power forward that was selected with the 13th overall pick in 2010. Davis agreed to a two-year, $2 million deal with a player option for the second year. The deal add a much needed player to the Lakers slim frontcourt and provides him Davis another the chance to play and show his talent.

He averaged 7.7 points and 7.1 rebounds in less than 25 minutes per game during his rookie season but couldn't find more minutes after and was traded to Memphis where he averaged 5.7 points and 4.1 rebounds in 15.2 minutes in 2013-14.

Carlos Boozer

Boozer, 32 was waived by Chicago via the amnesty provision after they secured Lakers free agent Pau Gasol.

The Lakers made the winning bid for him, offering just $3.25 million, money that goes to the Bulls who still have to pay Boozer the $16.8 million they owe him.

This way the Lakers added another power forward, an experienced player that, despite sometimes being criticized for his defense, can average close to a double-double (he averaged 13.7 points and 8.3 rebounds through 76 games in 2013-14).

Boozer's contract expires at the end of the 2014-15 and because of the rules of the amnesty process, the Lakers can't trade him during the season.

Wayne Ellington

The Lakers signed Ellington to a one-year non-guaranteed contract. $315,656 of his salary will be guaranteed on Nov. 15, and $581,692 on Dec. 1.

After helping North Carolina win the NCAA title in 2009, and being named the tournament's most outstanding player, Ellington has played five seasons in the NBA, his best stretch being with Cleveland, playing for Byron Scott, where he averaged 1<0.4 points a game.

Ronnie Price

The 31-year-old point guard agreed to a one-year minimum contract and will be playing for the sixth team in his nine-year career.

Tarik Black

The Lakers claimed rookie center Tarik Black off waivers after the Rockets waived him to make room for Josh Smith.

They stay

Steve Nash

The Lakers could have used the "stretch provision" on the 40-year-old point guard but decided to keep him for the third and final year of his contract. By waiving him previous to September 2014 the team would have been able to stretch his $9.7 million salary over three years. He is the oldest player in the NBA this season.

Nash was acquired in a sign-and-trade with the Phoenix Suns in 2012, and was thought to be the solution the Lakers needed at point guard, but he suffered a fractured knee in his second game with the team and struggled to stay healthy after that, with problems in his back and hamstring. He played just 15 games in 2013-14, averaging 6.8 points and 5.7 assists. UPDATE: Injuries didn't allow Nash to play and he retired before the end of the season.

Nick Young
The Lakers retained five of the 11 free agents they had in 2014 and Nick Young was the one the team offered the longest deal: a four-year, $21.3-million contract.

Young, 29, averaged a career-high (and team-high) 17.9 points in 2014 and in the middle of an horrendous 27-55 season, his game and his personality made him a fan favorite. At the end of the season he had declined a player option for $1.2 million but always made it clear he wanted to stay in Los Angeles.

 

Jordan Hill
The Lakers re-signed Hill who agreed to a two-year, $18 million deal,

Wesley Johnson
Both Henry and Johnson were unrestricted free agents and agreed to stay with minimum contracts. all the Lakers could offer them to be able to sign Young and Hill to bigger deals.

 

Ryan Kelly
The Lakers rookie last season was a restricted free agent and agreed to stay with a two-year contract for $3.4 million. This way the Lakers can make him a restricted free agent again in 2016.

Lakers 2014 Draft Picks:

First Round, 7th pick: Julius Randle

In 2014 the Lakers had the highest pick in franchise history since selecting James Worthy with the first pick in 1982, and they used it to select Julius Randle, a 6-foot-9, 250-pound power forward from Kentucky.

Randle averaged 15.0 points on 50 percent shooting and 10.4 rebounds in his freshman season, leading the Wildcats to the NCAA championship game.

Concerns about Randle needing a foot surgery --that turned out to be wrong-- may have cost him a higher spot in the draft and made him available for the Lakers.

Update: The Lakers signed him to a 4-year contract (with team options for the final two) worth approximately $13.5 million and with the departure of Pau Gasol, Randle could become the starting power forward alongside returning center Jordan Hill.

Second Round, 46th pick: Jordan Clarkson

The Lakers didn't own a second round pick but In exchange for $1.8 million in cash they acquired the Wizards pick and selected Jordan Clarkson.

The 22-year-old, Missouri combo guard is 6-foot-5 and averaged 17.5 points last season through 35 appearances with the Tigers.

At some point in the past, the Lakers temporarily owned these 2014 picks:

First Round: 21st pick
Used by the Thunder to pick Mitch McGary.

 

Second Round: 36th pick
Used by the Bucks to select Johnny O'Bryant.

They left:

Xavier Henry
Henry averaged 10.0 points and 2.7 rebounds in 2013-14 but while recovering from knee and wrist surgeries he accepted a minimum deal as a free agent. Sadly for him, after playing 9 games in 2014-15 he ruptured his left Achilles' tendon and later the Lakers waived him to make room for Tarik Black

Pau Gasol
After turning down the Lakers two-year, $23 million offer, Pau Gasol joined the Chicago Bulls with the intention to compete for a championship in 2014-15.

He left after almost 7 seasons in L.A. His arrival in the middle of the 2007-08 season unexpectedly helped the Lakers reach the NBA Finals and he was a key member of the NBA Championships obtained in the next two seasons.

Internationally renowned and one of the most talented power forwards the Lakers have ever seen, Gasol was many times mistreated, including uncountable attempts to trade him and the disrespect Mike D'Antoni showed for his abilities.

 

Kendall Marshall
The point guard, who joined the Lakers in late December, 2013 after the injuries of Nash, Blake, Farmar and Bryant, and was an instant success averaging 8.0 points and a team-high 8.8 assists a game in 54 appearances, was waived to make room to fulfill the promised contracts to Young and Hill and to sign other players.

The Lakers could have still offered him the same money after the other signings were finalized but the Milwaukee Bucks claimed him, picking up his $915,243 salary for the 2014-15 NBA season.

Jodie Meeks
After averaging Lakers 15.7 points in 77 for the Lakers in 2014, Meeks left as a free agent and joined the Pistons who offered him a 3-year, $19.5 million contract. The highest point of his 2-year Laker career was a 42-point performance in an unexpected 114-110 win over the Thunder in March 9, 2014.

 

Chris Kaman
After Dwight Howard decided to leave, the Lakers didn't waste any time to get his replacement: free agent Chris Kaman, a 7-0 center that played for the Mavs last year and despite struggling with injuries, played 66 games and averaged 10.5 points and 5.6 rebounds in 20.7 minutes.

Jordan Farmar
Farmar became Chris Paul backup after accepting the Clippers’s bi-annual exception, a two-year deal worth $4.2 million. In his return to the NBA and the Lakers in 2013 he averaged 10.1 points and 4.9 assists in 41 games.

 

Kent Bazemore
Acquired in 2013-14 in exchange for Steve Blake, the Lakers didn't extended him a qualifying offer so he left as an unrestricted free agent. He went to the Atlanta Hawks with a two-year, $4-million deal.

MarShon Brooks
The Lakers didn't show interest in retaining him and he left as an unrestricted free agent to join the Italian team Olimpia Milano.

Mike D'AntoniCoach Mike D'Antoni
The Lakers were willing to respect D'Antoni's contract that still had one more guaranteed year for $4 million but were not yet ready to use their option for an additional season (2015-16) as D'Antoni requested, which led to the coach's resignation.

Hiring D'Antoni over Phil Jackson in 2012 was a big mistake from the beginning. D'Antoni's system wasn't a good fit for the Lakers aging roster and was incredible bad suited for the Lakers bigs Pau Gasol and Dwight Howard. After barely making the Playoffs in 2012-13 just to be swept by the Spurs in the first round, Howard left. Then came the worst: the 2013-14 season was an injury nightmare where a Lakers team that played awful defense was embarrassed many times (including a franchise record 48-point loss at the hands of the Clippers) and finished with the second-worst record ever (27-55, .329%).

D'Antoni left with 67-87 losing record and opened the door to the return of free agent Pau Gasol.

Assistant Coach Kurt Rambis
Rambis, former Showtime era player, coach and assistant coach between 1999 and 2009, and then again under Mike D'Antoni, left to New York to be Derek Fisher's top assistant.

 

Assistant Coaches Dan D'Antoni and Johnny Davis