3 Los Angeles Lakers who definitely won’t be back next season
By Ian Levy
Lakers who won’t be back next season: 2. Troy Brown Jr.
Troy Brown was actually a surprisingly steady and stabilizing presence for the Lakers during the early part of the season. Up to the trade deadline he appeared in 50 games, averaging 24.4 minutes, 7.0 points and 4.3 rebounds per game, shooting 36.0 percent from beyond the arc. However, the trade deadline brought the Lakers serious upgrades to their wing shooting and defense and Brown has largely been out of the rotation in the playoffs.
He’s played around 10 minutes per game during the postseason but has struggled to match his regular-season success — shooting just 35.7 percent from the field and 2-of-15 from beyond the arc. Brown is an unrestricted free agent and, at 23, having already played for three teams in five seasons, he’ll likely be looking for an opportunity, some stability and the security of a multi-year deal. What he did in the fall and early winter will likely earn him another NBA contract and a chance to player more minutes, but with so many other, more established options available, it probably won’t be with the Lakers.