6 Basketball Players who Played for Lakers and Thunder
There is a good chance that if you’ve found this page then you’re playing the Immaculate Grid.
That also means that today’s grid has asked for players that have played for both the Los Angeles Lakers and Oklahoma City Thunder.
And, it also means that you’re probably stuck on this particular box and you’re looking for a little help. Sound about right so far?
Well, good news, you’re in the right place.
I’ve done some research and have found players who played for both the Lakers and the Thunder.
Carmelo Anthony
After a successful college career at Syracuse University, which included a national championship in 2003, Carmelo Anthony was picked third overall by the Denver Nuggets in the 2003 NBA Draft.
In Denver, Anthony became one of the league’s top scorers, leading the Nuggets to multiple playoff berths. His time in Denver culminated in a Western Conference Finals run in 2009. In 2011, he was traded to the New York Knicks, where he continued his scoring prowess and was selected to multiple All-Star games.
Over his career, Anthony has been selected to ten NBA All-Star Games and has been named to the All-NBA Team six times. Internationally, he has won three gold medals with Team USA at the Olympics (2008, 2012, 2016), becoming the team’s all-time leading scorer in the process.
Anthony Key Stats
- All-NBA (Nuggets, Knicks)
- All-Star (Nuggets, Knicks)
- 20+ Points/Game Season (Nuggets, Knicks)
Gary Payton
Gary Payton, often known as “The Glove” for his defensive prowess, is widely recognized as one of the greatest point guards in NBA history. Payton was selected second overall in the 1990 NBA Draft by the Seattle SuperSonics.
Payton spent the majority of his career with the SuperSonics, where he was a nine-time NBA All-Star and a nine-time All-NBA selection. He was known for his defensive skills, earning NBA Defensive Player of the Year honors in 1996 and being selected to the NBA All-Defensive First Team nine times.
Payton was also great on the offensive end of the court, especially his scoring ability and his ability to create plays. He accumulated over 21,000 points and almost 9000 assists during his career. He won his only NBA Championship with the Miami Heat in 2006. Payton was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013.
Payton Key Stats
- Hall of Fame (Supersonics, Heat, Lakers, Celtics, Bucks)
- All-NBA (Supersonics)
- All-Star (Supersonics)
- NBA Championship (Heat)
- 20+ Points/Game Season (Supersonics)
- 5+ Assists/Game Season (Supersonics, Lakers, Celtics)
Derek Fisher
Derek Fisher was selected 24th overall by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1996 NBA Draft. As the Lakers’ point guard, he played a crucial role during the team’s championship runs, especially in the early 2000s when they secured three consecutive titles from 2000 to 2002.
Fisher added two more championships to his resume with the Lakers in 2009 and 2010. One of his most iconic moments came in the 2004 playoffs, where he hit a game-winning shot with just 0.4 seconds left on the clock against the San Antonio Spurs, a play often referred to as the “0.4 shot.”
Beyond the Lakers, Fisher played for several other teams, including the Warriors, Jazz, Thunder, and Mavericks. Over his 18-year playing career, he was revered not just for his basketball skills but also for his leadership, serving as the president of the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) from 2006 to 2013.
Fisher Key Stats
- NBA Championship (Lakers)
Dennis Schroder
After spending his early career playing professionally in Germany, Dennis Schröder was selected 17th overall in the 2013 NBA Draft by the Atlanta Hawks. Initially a backup to All-Star Jeff Teague, Schröder eventually took over as the Hawks’ starting point guard.
In 2018, he was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder where he served as a valuable contributor off the bench. His performance during the 2019-2020 season even earned him a runner-up finish for the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award.
Over his ten-year career, Schroder has played for a total of five different teams including the Hawks, Thunder, Lakers, Celtics and Rockets.
Schroder Key Stats
- 5+ Assists/Game Season (Hawks, Lakers)
Caron Butler
Playing college basketball at the University of Connecticut, Caron Butler quickly gained recognition as a top talent, leading the Huskies deep into the NCAA Tournament. Butler was selected 10th overall by the Miami Heat in the 2002 NBA Draft.
Throughout his career, he played for several teams, including the Lakers, Wizards, Mavericks, and Clippers, among others. During his time with the Wizards, he formed a formidable trio alongside Gilbert Arenas and Antawn Jamison, with Butler earning two NBA All-Star selections in 2007 and 2008.
Butler’s resilience was evident throughout his career, having overcome significant challenges and adversity in his early life. Beyond his playing days, he has been a positive figure in the community, leveraging his platform to address social issues and mentor younger players.
Butler Key Stats
- All-Star (Wizards)
- NBA Champ (Mavericks)
- 20+ Points/Game Season (Wizards)
DJ Augustin
Following an impressive sophomore year at the University of Texas, where he averaged 19.2 points and 5.8 assists, DJ Augustin was drafted 9th overall by the Charlotte Bobcats in the 2008 NBA Draft.
Over his NBA career, Augustin has displayed strong playmaking and shooting skills, particularly his three-point shooting. For example, during the 2013-2014 season with the Chicago Bulls, he averaged 14.9 points per game and shot an impressive 41.1% from the three-point line.
A journeyman in the league, Augustin has played for multiple teams (11 in total), consistently contributing off the bench. He’s had several seasons where he averaged double-digit points and solid assists numbers, like in the 2010-2011 season where he averaged 14.4 points and 6.1 assists per game with the Bobcats.
Augustin Key Stats
- 5+ Assists/Game Season (Bobcats, Magic)
