Top 5 players who have played for both LA Lakers and LA Clippers
The LA Lakers and LA Clippers have one of the most intriguing cross-town rivalries in the NBA. The Lakers have been the more successful team in terms of winning silverware. They also have an overall head-to-head advantage of 150 wins in 227 regular-season games against the Clippers.
The last decade has been dominated largely by the LA Clippers, though, especially since the 2011-12 NBA season, which was highlighted by the arrival of Chris Paul. The Clippers went on a 28-9 run against their illustrious cross-town rivals post that, as the LA Lakers dealt with an old squad headed by the late great Kobe Bryant, who was evidently on a decline after winning his fifth ring in 2010.
Despite boasting a better squad than the Lakers for a longer period, the LA Clippers never managed to win a championship in the last decade. The LA Lakers, meanwhile, claimed the title in 2020 after acquiring Anthony Davis to join forces with LeBron James. The Clippers also added two MVP-caliber players in Kawhi Leonard and Paul George that season.
The two teams are at par now when it comes to having the kind of superstar-level talent needed to win the NBA championship. It will be interesting to see which team ends up winning the title first in the next few seasons.
Despite their enticing rivalry, the LA Lakers and the LA Clippers have seen plenty of players suit up for both teams in the NBA. On that note, here's a look at five top stars to have played for both the franchises.
#5 Matt Barnes
Matt Barnes started his career with the LA Clippers in the NBA. It wasn't the best of stints, though, as he continued to move around in the league, playing for five different franchises before the LA Lakers signed him in 2010. He had a decent few years before that, establishing himself as a solid 3-and-D player in the league.
Barnes' time with the LA Lakers was respectable individually, but not the best in terms of collective success. He then signed with the LA Clippers in 2012 for a second stint, and experienced one of the best stretches of his career. Barnes averaged roughly ten points per game and was also awarded the Defensive Player of the Year by the LA Clippers.
#4 Antawn Jamison
Two-time All-Star Antwan Jamison was one of the best scorers in the NBA, averaging 18.5 points per game throughout his career.
He debuted in the NBA with the Golden State Warriors and went on to play for the Washington Wizards, Dallas Mavericks and Cleveland Cavaliers before playing the last two seasons of his NBA career for the LA Lakers and the LA Clippers.
Jamison did not have that great an end to his career, but he did achieve the milestone of scoring 20,000 career points, becoming just the ninth player at the time to do so.