Lakers: 2016-17 Season Is Make or Break for Anthony Brown
Hope were high for Anthony Brown when the Lakers’ drafted him in 2015, but this season represents a make or break opportunity that he can’t afford to miss
Most would agree that the Los Angeles Lakers hit a home run with their selections in the 2015 NBA Draft. Point guard D’Angelo Russell has superstar potential, while power forward Larry Nance Jr. shocked almost everyone with his value off the bench. Former Stanford small forward Anthony Brown, however, has not yet lived up to his billing as the potential 3-and-D player that the Lakers have been lacking for multiple seasons.
While Brown was able to live up to the latter part of that phrase, picking up the slack for Russell and Jordan Clarkson, who are not yet able to hold their own on defense, on the wing, he has not been able to put the ball in the hoop from deep. In just under 21 minutes per game last season, Brown averaged 4.o points per game while shooting just 28.6 percent from deep.
What makes this confusing is that he averaged 45.3 percent from three his junior year at Stanford and 44.1 percent from three his senior year. Even last year in seven games with the Los Angeles D-Fenders, he only shot 31.9 percent from behind the three point line, but he was able to get his points from midrange and at the rim, scoring 14.6 points per game in 34 minutes per game.
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While stats for players under Byron Scott should definitely be taken with a grain of salt, with variables such as inconsistent minutes and putting players on the court that don’t mesh well at the same time, the 2016-2017 season is do or die for Anthony Brown.
With the Lakers consistently adding young talent at every position, especially at the small forward, Brown will have to show considerable improvement this year if he wants to prove that he can be a valuable part of the young core.
This will be even more difficult to do this year, with the 2016 number two overall selection Brandon Ingram and veteran Luol Deng slated to take the majority of minutes at the small forward spot.
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If new head coach Luke Walton can successfully implement his offensive strategy, Brown should have no excuses to not live up to his potential. If he is unable to add any sort of value, this could be the last year we see Anthony Brown don the Purple and Gold.