Last 5 players to represent Lakers, Celtics as Wenyen Gabriel lands in Boston

The Boston Celtics continued to shore up their roster for the upcoming NBA season by adding Wenyen Gabriel.

Fresh from acquiring Jrue Holiday in a blockbuster trade with the Portland Trail Blazers, the Celtics reportedly agreed to terms with Gabriel to a training camp contract on Sunday.

With Gabriel playing for the LA Lakers last season, he became the latest player to sign with both the Celtics and Lakers, the protagonists of the NBA's No. 1 rivalry.

Let's take a look at five players who last played for both teams.

Most recent players to sign with Lakers, Celtics including Wenyen Gabriel

#1, Wenyen Gabriel

While he isn't guaranteed a spot in the regular season lineup, Wenyen Gabriel should be honored that the Celtics signed him up after playing for the Lakers last year.

Gabriel would still need to prove himself through the preseason. However, since he is fresh from helping South Sudan qualify for the Paris Olympics through the recent FIBA Basketball World Cup, he should be more confident than ever.

#2, Dennis Schroder

Speaking of the World Cup, the MVP of the tournament happened to be part of the elite list of players who played for both the Lakers and Celtics.

Like Wenyen Gabriel, Dennis Schroder also played for the Lakers last season, helping them make it to the Western Conference finals despite needing to undergo the play-in games.

Before that, Schroder played for the Celtics during the first half of the 2021-22 season.

How he ended up in Boston, though, remains puzzling for NBA fans as he passed on a megabucks contract extension to continue what would be his first spell with the Lakers and joined the Celtics for a tad below $6 million.

Like Wenyen Gabriel, the Lakers let go of Dennis Schroder, and he signed a two-year, $26 million contract to join the Toronto Raptors.

#3, Matt Ryan

In just one calendar year, Matt Ryan was both a Laker and a Celtic. On Feb. 28, 2022, Ryan signed a two-way deal with the Celtics that saw him travel back and forth from Massachusetts to Maine to play for the Celtics' main team and their NBA G League affiliate.

Then, on Sept. 26, 2022, Ryan joined the Lakers initially on a training camp deal, but he eventually cracked the final regular season team.

Although the Lakers let go of Ryan on Dec. 1, a week later, he joined the Minnesota Timberwolves on a two-way deal, which was extended for another year.

#4, Avery Bradley

Avery Bradley began his career with the Celtics, and it seemed like he could be staying put in Boston for a long time.

However, to make up for enough salary room to formally sign Gordon Hayward, Bradley was traded to the Detroit Pistons.

Two seasons later, he found himself joining the Lakers, and he became an NBA champion.

However, he did not play in the season bubble in Orlando due to his son Liam, who was vulnerable to COVID-19 due to his respiratory problems.

In the 2021-2022 season, he played again for the Lakers, but he would become a free agent right after.

#5, Rajon Rondo

Rajon Rondo is the most high-profile player among the most recent players to sign with both the Lakers and Celtics.

Rondo became Boston's fourth option in offense aside from Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, and he helped the team win the 2008 title at the expense of the Lakers.

Fast forward to 2020, Rondo became a champion again, but this time as a Laker during the season bubble in Orlando.

Like Bradley, Rondo, who also seemed to be on his way to becoming a Celtic for life early into his stellar career, remained unattached after the 2021-2022 season.