Nov 16, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Nick Young (0) reacts while walking up the court in first half of the NBA game against the Phoenix Suns at Talking Stick Resort Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-USA TODAY Sports
6. Metta World Peace and Nick Young At Small Forward
The way Anthony Brown has been handled in terms of playing time has been troubling. He is a rookie, and he has a lot he can improve on, but Brown can shoot and play defense, two skills the Lakers can desperately use right now. Other than Jordan Clarkson, no one has consistently made outside shots this year. If given a chance, could Brown do any worse than Bryant or Williams? The answer is no, and there is every reason to believe he can do better.
That Brown is sitting while 36-year-old World Peace and Swaggy P are getting all the minutes behind Bryant, is crazy. World Peace has had some good moments and is a good teammate, but his age is already starting to show and he is only going to fade more as time goes on. Young is a streaky shooter who, at age 30, is never going to be a key player on a good team.
The young players on the roster such as Brown and Nance need to play. The Lakers are not going to win in the short term, no matter what. It’s criminal that the coaching staff is not prioritizing the development of the Lakers’ young talent in an otherwise lost season.
Next: No. 7 Fourth Quarter Minutes