Kent Bazemore was a bench player for the Golden State Warriors before he was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers where he was able to showcase his abilities.

“Selfishly, if I wanted to play 30 minutes a night and wanted a role in the NBA, I wouldn’t change anything: I needed to leave the Warriors,” Bazemore told The Vertical recently in an extended profile. “I looked at leaving Golden State as my chance to grow up. I was stuck behind Steph [Curry], behind Klay [Thompson] and Harrison [Barnes]. I was so young, man. I’ve grown so much, having the experience of playing in the playoffs, playing for a really competitive team. Coach Sullivan had me watching my shots before I came, and when we first met, he told me he was going to alter everything. I showed up every day and we broke it all the way down: shooting with three fingers, one-handed shooting, finding my balance.

“A couple years in, my confidence is up and I don’t mind shooting the ball from everywhere. I understand how to get a shot off or getting my feet set before the ball comes. I know how important that is now.”

Bazemore's two-and-a-half months in early 2014 playing for Mike D'Antoni led to a two-year, $4 million deal with the Atlanta Hawks.

“That season with the Lakers was a savior,” Bazemore told The Vertical. “Every time I see someone from the front office with Golden State and every time I see D’Antoni … I give them a big hug. D’Antoni allowed me to showcase myself. I was a guy at the end of the bench in Golden State and did well in the D-League, but that isn’t enough to get you a solidified job in the league.

“I don’t know where I’d be right now.”

Bazemore will be a free agent again this offseason.