The Los Angeles Lakers have made a number of signings in free agency in order to get younger and more athletic around their stars. While some names were a bit more familiar, Troy Brown Jr. is a bit of an unknown despite being a first-round draft pick back in 2018.
Coming out of Oregon, Brown wound up being drafted 15th overall by the Washington Wizards, where he spent two seasons before being traded to the Chicago Bulls. Leading up to that draft, the Lakers brought in Brown for a pre-draft workout and he recalls the team liking him, but he was gone well before the Lakers’ 25th overall pick that year.
Now joining the Lakers years later, Brown feels like everything has come full circle.
“I think the biggest thing for me at that moment was kind of like when I was talking to Rob,” Brown said at his introductory press conference. “We talked about when I came here for pre-draft and they really liked me but like he keeps saying, they didn’t have a high enough draft pick because I ended up going 15.
“For it to all come full circle and then have a jersey like five years later I think that definitely was hitting me at that moment. It just shows that everything works out eventually.”
Things always happen for a reason and now Brown joins a Lakers team in need of athleticism, defense and shooting on the wing. Brown believes he can provide exactly what the team needs and sees this as an ideal fit for him.
“I definitely think it’s a good fit just for me in general,” Brown added. “Just being able to come in here right now and be able to give some length on the defensive side of things. I definitely feel like I’m in a point of my career where I’m shooting the ball a little better. Just being able to be complimentary and be able to do the dirty work for certain guys to be able to take some pressure off some guys I think would definitely help.
“Me and coach have definitely had some talks and just talking about being able to use my length and my size and what’s best for the team so I think it should work out good.”
Brown is indeed coming off his best 3-point shooting year of his career, having knocked down a respectable 35.3% from deep. He also has the size at 6’6″ and 215 pounds to guard multiple positions, which is something new coach Darvin Ham is undoubtedly looking for.
Other names the Lakers brought in may have stood out more, but it could be Brown that brings the skillset the roster most sorely needs.
Lakers sign center Thomas Bryant
The most recent of those free-agent signings is center Thomas Bryant, who is returning to the Lakers after they originally drafted him with the 42nd overall pick in 2017.
Bryant looked to be turning into a solid center with the Wizards, but a torn ACL kept him out of most of the last two seasons. Now back in L.A. he is looking to show he has returned to form and will have a chance at the starting center position.
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