Jae C. Hong/Associated Press

After sitting out the 2015-16 NBA season, free-agent power forward Carlos Boozer is keen to make a comeback.

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Boozer Believes He Can Thrive in Mentor Role

Thursday, June 30

Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical reported the news about Boozer's prospective return to the Association.

Boozer last played for the Los Angeles Lakers on a squad that went 21-61. He averaged 11.8 points and 6.8 rebounds per contest in 2014-15.

The 34-year-old veteran spoke to Wojnarowski about how his last season of action impacted the course of his career:

The previous season with the Lakers was a tough year. Kobe [Bryant] got hurt, Steve Nash went down and we had a young group still learning to win. I ended up taking the next year off, spent time with my kids and family and right now my body feels great. I feel terrific. I have been working out hard all year, and I miss the game. I want to play again.

It sounds as though Boozer is refreshed, and he also cited his experience as a two-time All-Star, a 2008 Olympic gold medalist and 13 years of NBA experience as mentor credentials.

"I think I can help some younger guys. I've played against Karl Malone and Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan and picked up a lot of things that can be helpful to young guys," said Boozer, per Wojnarowski. "I really like the opportunity of having a role on a team where I can give back on the knowledge that I've gained through the years."

Boozer peaked with the Utah Jazz, where he averaged a double-double in three full seasons and over 20 points in two of those years. He's not quite the beast on the boards he used to be nor the scoring force he was in his prime, but Boozer could indeed pass on his wealth of knowledge to younger players.

Although it may take him some time to get back into game shape, and it may be unrealistic for a suitor to expect him to have a big role in 2016-17, Boozer would be a great presence for any locker room.

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Even his most recent team, the Lakers, could use Boozer at the moment, with talented power forwards in Julius Randle and Larry Nance Jr. on the roster who are 21 and 23 years old, respectively.

But based on the fact L.A. is coming off a 17-65 record and how Boozer mentioned his experience with the Lakers being difficult, he's likely to seek an opportunity to play for a team better positioned to win now, even as a mentor.

The question is whether there will be enough interest in Boozer for him to continue playing. Given his resume, Boozer should at the very least garner veteran-minimum offers.

Boozer told Wojnarowski he was "curious" to see where certain free agents landed this offseason, suggesting he'll wait until the open-market frenzy ends before truly exploring his options.