Hoops Habit
Fansided

Los Angeles Lakers: 10 best shooting guards in team history

By Amaar Burton

HONOLULU, HI - OCTOBER 16: Kobe Bryant #8 and Eddie Jones #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers talk against the Dallas Mavericks during a preseason game on October 16, 1996 at the Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu, Hawaii. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1996 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
HONOLULU, HI - OCTOBER 16: Kobe Bryant #8 and Eddie Jones #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers talk against the Dallas Mavericks during a preseason game on October 16, 1996 at the Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu, Hawaii. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1996 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
(Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) /

7. Dick Barnett (1962-65)

Before Dick Barnett won two NBA championships, became an All-Star, and made himself a Hall of Famer with the Knicks, he was a member of the Los Angeles Lakers.

Barnett began his career with the NBA’s Syracuse Nationals, then jumped to the now-defunct American Basketball League for a year. He came back to the NBA and signed with the Lakers in 1962, and during three seasons in L.A. the 6’4″ guard averaged 16.8 points per game.

The Los Angeles Lakers made the Finals in two of Barnett’s three seasons, losing to the Celtics in 1963 and 1965. During the 1965 playoff run, Barnett scored 31 points in L.A.’s series-clinching victory over Baltimore in the Western Division Finals.

Barnett was traded that summer to New York, where he went on to have the best years of his career — which included beating the Lakers in the 1970 and 1973 NBA Finals with the Knicks.

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