Darius Bazley is not taking anything for granted

Darius Bazley has been the Lakers’ most consistent player in Summer League, an opportunity he’s not taking for granted.

With just over three minutes remaining and the Lakers up 11, Darius Bazley displays his handles, pushing the ball up the floor. A slick in-and-out dribble cross into a James Harden-esque gather, unusual for a player of that size, draws the foul, but an awkward landing leads to a turned ankle.

After lying in pain for a minute, he goes through a full timeout of shoe retightening, stretching and massages, keeping him on the court, intent on finishing the game. This determination and fight have been clear throughout the summer, making him the Lakers’ most consistent player and demonstrating his two-way ability in hopes of proving he still belongs in the league.

Bazely returned to the free throw line all smiles, finishing the game with 12 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks in a win over the Pelicans.

“It’s fun for me in a way because I’m on a mission,” Bazley said. “To try and revamp my career, get back, just prove I belong out there and that I can help the team contribute to winning.”

Bazley’s averaged 12.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game so far in six contests. This includes a 27-point, 13-rebound performance in a win over the Spurs while his 57% field goal shooting ranks fourth on the team.

Lindsay Harding, who has served as head coach for the Lakers Summer League team in Las Vegas, referred to Bazley as a young man. Twenty-five is still undoubtedly a young age — only a year older than last year’s first-round pick Dalton Knecht — but in terms of summer league, that’s considered ancient.

Staying in the league is just as hard, if not harder, than making it. Once you leave, it’s extremely tough to get back in.

Bazley was drafted 23rd overall by Oklahoma City in 2019, following his decision to forgo college and intern at New Balance for a year after high school. Bazley bounced around to different teams and eventually found himself on the outside looking in, playing in the Chinese Basketball League for the Guangdong Southern Tigers last season.

That pedigree and talent never went away, though, and have resurfaced this summer for LA.

Offensively, the Lakers have alternated between using Bazley as a big man and a wing, providing him with ample opportunities to grab rebounds and push the ball.

“We play him almost every position.” Harding said. “I mean, he’s not going to come up and call a play, but he’s very versatile. He’s tall, he’s long…I wish he pushed the ball a little bit more. He’s actually very fast.”

That speed has helped him dominate athletically, drawing multiple fouls per game due to defenders being unable to deal with his seven-foot wingspan as it comes at them. He’s shown off a patented spin move to blow by his opponent for drives at the rim.

During the California Classic, Bazley was third on the team in assists, behind Bronny James and D.J. Steward. He attacked closeouts and took the open shot when available, all things necessary for minutes with the parent team, as they have an abundance of ball handling.

“I think I’ve been taking strides in my shot,” Bazley said. “Really just my growth as a player, just being a lot more decisive, just connecting more on the offense helping and plugging into guys like, I mean to speak towards the Lakers, Bron and Luka.”

Where Bazley has had his biggest impact is on the defensive end. His long frame has provided the team with defensive versatility, demonstrating the ability to switch onto ball handlers on the perimeter and defend inside with his rim protection.

He’s totaled 14 blocks in summer league, leading the team by a wide margin.

“Bazley is an amazing defender,” Harding said following a five-block performance. “He can guard on-ball, he can guard a point guard, he can guard a center. He does a great job off the ball. Sometimes defenders are great on-ball and not off-ball and vice versa, but he can do everything. He’s long. We need him for every position and they were huge blocks.

LA has long sought an athletic wing capable of defending multiple positions to play alongside their stars, even exploring options on the trade market this summer.

Whether Bazley will fit into that role with the Lakers is unclear, and it remains to be seen how much of this play is due to his physical advantages over younger players, a factor the team will have to monitor.

Bazely would also need to have a standard contract, as he’s no longer eligible for a two-way deal due to his NBA experience.

That NBA experience includes his second year in Oklahoma City, where he had his best overall season during which he started 55 games for the Thunder, averaging 13.7 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game. Players with that level of success in the league usually don’t return to play in the Summer League.

But Bazley doesn’t see it that way. This is a chance to get back into the league, and one he’s not going to let pass by.

“I wouldn’t really describe any of my stint or whatever as success,” Bazley told Silver Screen and Roll. “I think it’s all a part of like a journey that’s still going but you know being here is nice…It’s an opportunity that I’m not taking for granted.”

You can follow Raj on Twitter at @RajChipalu.