Golden State Bought a Veteran Backup for a Playoff Run
Golden State entered the 2014 deadline as a 50-win-caliber playoff team that needed steadier reserve point-guard minutes behind Stephen Curry. The Warriors sent Kent Bazemore and MarShon Brooks to the Lakers for Steve Blake, choosing immediate lineup reliability over two younger guards who had not established regular roles. Blake did exactly that job. He appeared in 28 regular-season games for Golden State, averaged 21.7 minutes and 3.6 assists, and gave the second unit a veteran ball-handler during the stretch run. That is modest value, but it directly served the team's competitive window.
Bazemore Found a Much Larger Role in Los Angeles
The Lakers' best return was Kent Bazemore. After averaging only 6.1 minutes in 44 games for Golden State that season, he jumped into a 28-minute role in Los Angeles. Bazemore appeared in 23 games, started 15 and averaged 13.1 points before a foot injury ended his season. The production was real even though the stint was brief. Los Angeles gave a buried young wing enough opportunity to show he belonged in an NBA rotation, which is why the Lakers' side cannot be treated as empty despite the lower canonical grade.
Brooks Added Depth, but Neither Lakers Piece Stayed
MarShon Brooks also received more opportunity after the deal, appearing in 18 games for Los Angeles after playing only seven times for Golden State. He scored efficiently in a small role but did not become part of the Lakers' longer-term roster. Bazemore also left in free agency that summer. That short duration limits the hindsight payoff from the two-player package. The Lakers unlocked more immediate production from Bazemore than Golden State had, but they did not convert either incoming player into a durable asset that survived beyond the 2013-14 season.
The Grade Gap Is Small Because Both Teams Got What They Needed
This was never a franchise-altering deadline move. Golden State wanted a dependable reserve guard for a playoff push and got 28 games of usable Blake minutes before he left in free agency. Los Angeles wanted younger players and found a short-term contributor in Bazemore, but the roster value disappeared after the season. The canonical B- for Golden State and C for the Lakers reflect a narrow Warriors edge rather than a landslide. Blake's role matched the contender's objective more directly, while Los Angeles generated a useful audition without retaining the best piece of its return.
Final Verdict
Warriors Win — Golden State B-, Los Angeles C. Steve Blake gave a 51-win Warriors team the veteran backup point guard it wanted for the stretch run, appearing in 28 games and stabilizing reserve minutes behind Stephen Curry. Kent Bazemore was the most productive individual after the trade, averaging 13.1 points in 23 games for Los Angeles, while MarShon Brooks added depth. The difference is durability and fit: Golden State received the role it was specifically buying for a playoff team, while both Lakers acquisitions were gone after the season. It is a modest Warriors win, not a one-sided deal.