5 Former Lakers Still Without A Job As Training Camp Kicks Off

Isaiah Thomas

The All-Star point guard had two separate stints with the Lakers, one in 2018 and another in 2021. Neither of them was particularly long and productive, similar to all of Thomas' stops since his Boston Celtics days.

Thomas was a force to be reckoned with as a Celtic, finishing fifth in MVP voting in 2017. He helped carry the team to the Eastern Conference Finals, playing through a hip injury and the death of his younger sister. However, the Celtics traded him to the Cavs for Kyrie Irving that offseason and things were never the same for Thomas.

Playing through the injury in the playoffs aggravated the situation and limited his athleticism for the rest of his career. In addition to his Lakers stints, Thomas spent time with the Nuggets, Wizards, Pelicans, Mavs, Hornets, and the Suns but was never able to re-establish his career. At age 35, he is still trying to make his NBA comeback but it's looking less and less likely with each passing day.

JaVale McGee

JaVale McGee may be the most under-the-radar three-time NBA champion in recent memory. He started games in the playoffs for three separate title teams but he is rarely remembered outside of NBA die-hards.

After winning back-to-back titles with the Golden State Warriors, McGee joined the Lakers and started in 130 games between 2018 and 2020. He was splitting duties with Dwight Howard at center during the playoffs and was an important contributor in the championship run.

Over the last couple of years, McGee showed signs of decline and was demoted to third-string center on the Sacramento Kings last year. He is still on the market and could be a capable veteran for a team at some point in the season.