Troy Brown Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Second-Round Pick Leonard Miller Signs With Timberwolves

July 8th, 2023 at 9:50pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Timberwolves have reached a four-year deal with second-round pick Leonard Miller that contains a full guarantee on the first two seasons and a partial guarantee beyond that, tweets Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News. Wolfson doesn’t provide dollar amounts for the contract, but the signing is also confirmed by NBA.com’s transactions page.

Miller was selected by the Spurs with the 33rd pick in last month’s draft before being traded to Minnesota for future draft assets. He was considered a potential first-round selection after a strong performance with G League Ignite.

The Wolves’ signings of Shake Milton and Troy Brown are also official, according to the transactions log. Minnesota used portions of its mid-level exception to add both players.

Milton, who spent his first five NBA seasons with the Sixers, reportedly received a two-year, $10MM contract, while Brown, a part-time starter with the Lakers last season, will get $8MM over two years with a team option on the final year.

The re-signing of shooting guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who is being paid $9MM for two years, still isn’t official.

Northwest Notes: Lillard, Jazz, Timberwolves Moves, Brown, Jackson, Braun, Wallace

July 2nd, 2023 at 2:10pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Jazz will have internal discussions about getting involved in the Damian Lillard sweepstakes, according to The Athletic’s Tony Jones.

If they make a run for him, the Jazz could put together an impressive package of expiring contracts and future first-round picks for the Trail Blazers All-Star guard, who requested a trade this weekend. He’d instantly transform a team with a suddenly formidable frontcourt and quality depth into a contender.

The downside is Lillard’s age, defensive deficiencies and gargantuan contract. Jones explores the pros and cons of a potential Jazz trade for Lillard and ultimately concludes it would be worth it, as long as they set a strict limit on what they would give up.

We have more from the Northwest Division:

The Timberwolves, after extending Naz Reid, made a number of under-the-radar moves in free agency to help them avoid future tax issues, Chris Hine of the Minneapolis Star Tribune notes. They divvied up their mid-level exception to acquire Shake Milton and Troy Brown, as well as re-signing Nickeil Alexander-Walker via his Bird rights. All of the contracts were two-year deals. Thus, their roster is almost all set for next season and the combined salaries are below the luxury tax threshold.
After losing Bruce Brown in free agency to Indiana, the Nuggets have a huge hole to fill in their rotation. Jones explores how Denver will fill up those available minutes. Reggie Jackson, who is re-signing with the club on a two-year deal, is slated to be the backup point guard. Christian Braun will see his minutes expand, presumably as a combo guard. Denver could also add another piece via free agency to improve its depth.
Due to trade restrictions, Cason Wallace will miss the Thunder’s three Summer League games in Salt Lake City, Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman notes. Wallace was chosen with the No. 10 pick in a draft-night swap with the Mavericks, who also shipped forward Davis Bertans to OKC in exchange for the No. 12 pick. The trade can’t be finalized until at least Thursday, forcing Wallace to miss those games. However, he’ll be eligible to play in the Las Vegas Summer League.

Timberwolves Sign Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Troy Brown

June 30th, 2023 at 6:24pm CST by Dana Gauruder

JULY 9: Both signings are now official, per NBA.com’s transaction log.

JUNE 30: The Timberwolves have reached agreements with free agents Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Troy Brown.

Alexander-Walker is re-signing with Minnesota on a two-year deal, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic tweets. Brown is leaving the Lakers to join the Timberwolves, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets.

The Wolves declined to give Alexander-Walker a qualifying offer to make him a restricted free agent but will re-sign him using his Bird rights on a two-year, $9MM deal, tweets Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic.

According to Mike Singer of Denver Post (Twitter link), Brown will get a two-year contract worth north of $8MM, with a second-year team option. The Wolves will have to use a cap exception – either the mid-level or bi-annual – to complete that signing.

Alexander-Walker, acquired in a deadline deal from Utah, appeared in 23 games off the bench for Minnesota last season. He averaged 5.9 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 15.5 minutes. He’ll add depth behind starting shooting guard Anthony Edwards.

Brown, 23, played a prominent role for Los Angeles last season, appearing in 76 games, including 45 starts. He averaged 7.1 points and 4.1 rebounds in 24.5 minutes and made a career-best 38.1% of his 3-point attempts. The 6’6” Brown previously played for Washington and Chicago and could start or play a second-unit role with the Timberwolves.

In essence, he swapped places with former Timberwolves forward Taurean Prince, who agreed to a one-year deal with the Lakers.

Free Agent Stock Watch: Los Angeles Lakers

March 31st, 2023 at 9:00am CST by Rory Maher

For the rest of the regular season and postseason, Hoops Rumors is taking a closer look at players who will be free agents or could become free agents during the 2023 offseason. We consider whether their stock is rising or falling due to their performance and other factors. Today, we’re focusing on a handful of Lakers players.

Note: We also covered a couple other Lakers earlier this month.

Dennis Schröder, G

2022/23: Minimum salary
2023/24: UFA
Stock: Up

Before the 2022/23 season started, Schröder said he had “unfinished business” with the Lakers after reportedly being unwilling to discuss a lucrative extension in his first stint with the team a couple of seasons ago. The rumored four-year, $80MM offer was never signed, and Schröder instead inked a one-year, $5.9MM contract with Boston in 2021 free agency.

Despite a tepid market in ’21, I was surprised it took Schröder so long to find a team last offseason. He didn’t sign until September, when he was running the show for Germany during EuroBasket, helping lead his national team to a bronze medal.

A reunion with the Lakers has worked out well for both sides, as Schröder has been one of the league’s better bargains on his minimum-salary contract.

The Lakers had an abysmal start this season in part due to injuries to Schröder and Thomas Bryant, who both underwent thumb surgeries right before the season began. The team went just 3-10 in the 13 games they missed (Bryant was traded to Denver at last month’s deadline).

Since he returned, Schröder has only missed one game and the Lakers have gone 34-28 with him in the lineup. He leads L.A. in total minutes played and the team has been better on both ends of the court when he’s playing — and significantly worse when he’s not. He only trails LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Austin Reaves in net rating differential among players with a large sample size.

I’ve been impressed with Schröder’s point-of-attack defense this season. He has also cut down on his turnovers and has generally just been willing to do the little things necessary to win games. He’s not a great three-point shooter (33.8%), but he remains extremely quick and is a very good ball-handler who can create shots and draw fouls. Schröder is also highly accurate on free throws, converting 87% of his looks this season – an important factor when trying to close out games.

The Lakers only have his Non-Bird rights, so they will be limited to offering the 29-year-old 120% of the veteran’s minimum, which would amount to $3.8MM. If the two sides go that route, it would almost certainly be a one-year deal or a two-year pact with a player option. That would give him Early Bird rights in 2024 and make it easier for the Lakers to give him a more lucrative longer-term contract, if they’re so inclined. They could also give him a bigger raise this summer by using one of their exceptions (either the bi-annual or the mid-level).

Rui Hachimura, F

2022/23: $6.26MM
2023/24: RFA
Stock: Down

When the Lakers traded three second-rounders (and Kendrick Nunn) to acquire Hachimura, I don’t think they envisioned him averaging 9.2 points and playing just 22.3 minutes per night, but that’s what he’s put up through 27 games.

The former lottery pick is a talented mid-range scorer, but he’s sort of a one-trick pony in that his game isn’t very well-rounded. His three-point accuracy (33.9%) has been virtually identical to what it was with the Wizards this season (33.7%), which is disappointing.

Hachimura has looked better on defense than I’ve seen in the past, but it’s still merely passable, and he doesn’t always play with a lot of energy. His role has been reduced of late, as he received one healthy scratch and averaged 5.3 PPG and 2.5 RPG in the six contests (16.0 MPG) he did play over the past seven games.

Hachimura’s $7,744,600 qualifying offer isn’t prohibitive, and he’s only 25 years old. Are the Lakers really gung-ho about bringing him back? Maybe I’m wrong, but I don’t see a huge market for him in restricted free agency based on his relative lack of development over his first four NBA seasons. One report said he might get something around the full mid-level exception, which is projected to start at $11.37MM — I would wish him luck and let him walk at that price.

Troy Brown, G/F

2022/23: Minimum salary
2023/24: UFA
Stock: Up

There’s nothing about Brown’s game that really jumps out at you, nor do his modest numbers — he’s averaging 7.3 PPG, 4.1 RPG and 1.2 APG in 70 games (45 starts, 24.9 MPG).

What Brown provides is prototypical size on the wing at 6’6″ and 215 pounds and a strong understanding of the game. He can do a little bit of everything, but doesn’t stand out in any one particular area. The 23-year-old is shooting a career-high 37.3% from deep, tries hard on defense, and is an unselfish passer.

Despite giving forth solid effort, Brown isn’t the greatest athlete by NBA standards, and is only around league average on defense. He hasn’t been much of a scoring threat, but the Lakers only really ask him to shoot when he’s open.

As with Schröder, Brown is another player the Lakers added on a minimum deal last summer, so unless they use one of their exceptions, they can only offer him 120% of the minimum using his Non-Bird rights – that would be about $2.77MM.

Could he get more than that from another team? I think something in the $3-6MM range could be in play, but I’m not sure. Either way, he has provided positive value considering his compensation this season, and I would imagine there’s motivation from both sides to bring him back – he’s getting regular minutes, which wasn’t the case the past couple seasons.

Malik Beasley, G/F

2022/23: $15.49MM
2023/24: $16.52MM team option
Stock: Down

Beasley is a long-range shooting specialist and the Lakers rank just 26th in the league in three-point percentage, which is why they traded for him. The problem is, he’s only shooting 35.6% from deep in 2022/23 (34.7% in 20 games with the Lakers), which is his worst conversion rate since he became a rotation regular in ‘18/19.

The 26-year-old is extremely streaky, and perhaps more than any other player on the team’s roster, he was negatively impacted by James’ absence due to a foot injury. LeBron has always been great at finding open shooters and Beasley has by far the best track record on the team as a high-volume outside shooter, despite his down season and inconsistency.

Free agents D’Angelo Russell and Reaves will likely higher on the team’s priority list this offseason than Beasley, and they won’t be cheap. However, it’s convenient to have mid-size contracts like Beasley’s on the roster, and his specialty is certainly more valuable than Hachimura’s.

How Beasley fares for the rest of the season will likely determine whether the Lakers exercise their team option on his deal, because it’s a hefty price tag considering he doesn’t provide a whole lot else beyond shooting and floor spacing. One report indicated the Lakers were likely to pick the option. They could potentially bring him back at a lower annual cost if they decline it, though there’s always a risk another team could swoop in with a better offer in that scenario.

Lakers Notes: Brown, Schröder, Russell, LeBron

March 6th, 2023 at 11:58am CST by Arthur Hill

Troy Brown Jr. expected a larger role with LeBron James sidelined, but even he was surprised by how much time he spent on the court on Sunday, writes Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times. Brown logged 41 minutes and 11 seconds, more than any other player, in the Lakers‘ win over the Warriors.

“To be honest, I didn’t know I had played that many minutes,” Brown said. “I had no idea. Obviously with the rotations, I thought I was coming out and then going back in, but I wasn’t looking at stat sheets. It’s a blessing, honestly, just to get that opportunity, especially right now playing with time and with us playing for something and being able to be out there with those guys and make big plays. I’m grateful for it.”

James’ foot tendon injury resulted in Brown returning to the starting lineup after being moved to the bench when the Lakers shook up their roster at the trade deadline. Brown, who signed with L.A. as a free agent last summer, is willing to accept either role.

“It’s not really taking anything personal, trying to be professional and just know that they have a plan and the coaching staff has a plan and they are trying to put together their stuff,” he said. “So, for me, I just try to come out every night and do what I can do and make sure I’m locked in and give the team what I need on my end.”

There’s more on the Lakers:

Dennis Schröder is playing with pain after injuring his left ankle in Wednesday’s game at Oklahoma City, Turner adds. The Lakers are missing their other primary ball-handlers because James is out and D’Angelo Russell hasn’t returned from a right ankle sprain. “Yeah, I got a lot of treatment on my ankle. I feel good now,” Schröder said Sunday. “Last game was a little … was still thinking about it a little bit. But right now, I think I feel in a good place.”
Russell is “trending in the right direction,” coach Darvin Ham said (video link from Spectrum SportsNet). Russell, who has missed the past five games, is going through a series of steps that will lead to his return, Ham adds.
James has started rehab work, but it’s still too early to predict when he’ll be able to play again, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Lakers Notes: Davis, Hachimura, Pelinka, Walker, Reaves

January 25th, 2023 at 11:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Lakers are using Anthony Davis off the bench in his return to action tonight after he missed five-and-a-half weeks with right foot issues, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. It marks just the sixth time in Davis’ career that he will be a reserve and the first since the 2013/14 season. Team doctors gave him clearance to play after watching his pre-game warmup.

“I’m happy for him, first and foremost,” coach Darvin Ham said. “I know how frustrating this process has been for him, especially at the level at which he was playing. I’m just happy for him, and definitely happy for us. We’ll get him out there, we won’t go too crazy with his minutes, and see how he responds.”

Davis will be kept on a restriction for a while, expected to begin at about 20-24 minutes per game. Ham told reporters he plans to arrange Davis’ playing time so he’s available late in the fourth quarter in case games are close. He also expressed confidence that Davis is fully ready to return after completing rehab.

“He’s gone through some rigorous therapy, weight training, weight-bearing exercises, activity on the court — both individually and some group workouts,” Ham said. “We would save him from himself if we thought there was any type of threat or harm that he could do to himself. So he had these boxes that he had to check, and he’s checked all of them. So we feel comfortable with him appearing tonight.”

There’s more from Los Angeles:

Newly acquired Rui Hachimura should take minutes away from Troy Brown, Wenyen Gabriel and Juan Toscano-Anderson in the Lakers’ frontcourt, Jovan Buha of The Athletic states in a discussion with fellow Athletic writer Josh Robbins about Monday’s trade. Buha sees Hachimura as an upgrade in terms of size and athleticism, though Robbins cautions that he focused too much on scoring with the Wizards and didn’t develop other parts of his game.
After the Hachimura deal, vice president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka said the Lakers will only consider trading their 2027 or 2029 first-round picks if the deal makes them a championship “front-runner,” but Buha observes in a separate story that there doesn’t appear to be an available trade that would do that. Pelinka promised that the team will remain active in the trade market, but Buha doesn’t believe expectations should be high.
Lonnie Walker and Austin Reaves will both be reevaluated Friday before the Lakers leave on a five-game road trip, tweets Kyle Goon of The Orange County Register. Walker, who was listed as questionable for tonight’s game, has left knee tendinitis, while Reaves is recovering from a strained left hamstring.

Lakers’ Walker, Reaves Each Out At Least Two Weeks

January 6th, 2023 at 12:48pm CST by Luke Adams

The Lakers shared some bad news on Friday, announcing that two of their rotation players will be sidelined for at least the next couple weeks due to injuries.

As Mike Trudell of Spectrum SportsNet tweets, Lonnie Walker has been diagnosed with left knee tendinitis and Austin Reaves has a left hamstring strain. The plan is for the team to reevaluate both players in approximately two weeks, Trudell adds.

While neither injury will have as significant an on-court impact as the foot ailment that’s keeping star big man Anthony Davis on the shelf, Walker and Reaves have been the Lakers’ most-used players this season outside of Davis and LeBron James.

Walker has started all 32 games he has played for the Lakers this season and has averaged 29.8 minutes per contest, the club’s third-highest mark. He’s enjoying a career year so far, with 14.7 PPG on .455/.384/.875 shooting.

Reaves, who ranks fourth on the team with 28.9 minutes per game, has averaged 10.8 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 2.2 assists on .488/.360/.896 shooting in his 36 appearances.

With the two guards out of action until at least later this month, the Lakers will have to lean more heavily on the likes of Russell Westbrook, Dennis Schröder, and Patrick Beverley, as well as Juan Toscano-Anderson, who started Wednesday’s game. Kendrick Nunn and Max Christie will also move up the depth chart and could have a shot at cracking the rotation.

Troy Brown is another candidate for an increased role, though he’s dealing with a left quad strain and has been downgraded from questionable to out for Friday’s game vs. Atlanta, tweets Dave McMenamin of ESPN.

Lakers Notes: Draft Picks, LeBron, Walker, Davis, Brown, Schröder

January 5th, 2023 at 10:00am CST by Luke Adams

Speaking to Chris Mannix of SI.com on The Crossover NBA Show, SI.com’s Howard Beck observes that the Lakers‘ front office vowed after LeBron James signed an offseason extension to upgrade its 2022/23 roster, but now seems less inclined to trade the team’s 2027 and 2029 first-round picks for win-now pieces.

“I’ve heard rumblings, and these are only rumblings, I don’t want people to go too far with this or go crazy with the aggregation,” Beck said. “But a couple people around the league have told me in recent weeks that they believe that the front office has essentially been told not to trade the picks. That they’re guarding those.

“If that’s the case, that speaks to a couple things. One, you’re feeling pretty insecure about your future, post-LeBron. You think those picks are going to be so valuable in 2027 and 2029 that giving them up would be catastrophic for you. You’re also showing a lack of faith in your ability to trade those picks and find another way to rebuild in whatever the post-LeBron years are.

“You’re also indicating — again, if it’s true that they are just completely unwilling to put those picks on the table, then that means you’re also, by definition, willing to flush this season, because those are your best tools… for improving in the immediate term.”

Reports in recent months have indicated that the Lakers are only interested in moving both of those future first-round picks if there’s a deal that significantly improves their title chances. Anthony Davis‘ foot injury also reportedly lowered the chances that the club will trade one or both picks in a major trade, though if L.A. can stay in the play-in mix in the coming weeks and Davis returns later this month, perhaps the club will reconsider that stance at the February 9 trade deadline.

Here’s more on the Lakers:

Head coach Darvin Ham said on Wednesday that he doesn’t expect either James (non-COVID illness) or Lonnie Walker (left knee soreness) to be out much longer, according to Kyle Goon of The Southern California News Group. Ham stated that LeBron is dealing with a “common cold,” while Walker has “a little bit of tendonitis.”
Ham also shared a minor update on Davis’ recovery, indicating that everything is “going right according to plan,” Goon adds. The Lakers have been conducting continuous MRIs on Davis’ injured foot and he hasn’t experienced any setbacks in his recovery process.
Lakers wing Troy Brown left Wednesday’s game due to a left quad strain and didn’t return, tweets Dave McMenamin of ESPN. The club has yet to issue an update on Brown’s status going forward, so it’s unclear whether he’ll miss additional time.
With the Lakers already shorthanded due to injuries, Dennis Schröder was determined to stay in Wednesday’s game after rolling his right ankle in the fourth quarter, McMenamin writes for ESPN.com. Schröder not only finished the game — he scored a season-high 32 points and helped lead the Lakers to an improbable win over Miami. “I just try to be there for my teammates,” he said. “I felt pretty good after (turning the ankle). Of course, it was sore, and it hurt. But I know my limits.”
Schröder was one of several Lakers on minimum-salary contracts to play a major role in the victory, alongside Thomas Bryant (21 points, nine rebounds), Austin Reaves (11 points), and Wenyen Gabriel (10 points). “I just think different guys are settling into their roles, getting more comfortable with more reps, more minutes,” Ham said, per McMenamin. “When we do get our big dogs back, whether it’s Bron, AD, both of them back — Lonnie, as well — it just makes us that much stronger, that much deeper, because now guys have confidence. They have the ultimate confidence because they’ve gotten the reps.”

Lakers Notes: Davis, Offseason Additions, Trade Market

November 9th, 2022 at 6:25pm CST by Arthur Hill

Anthony Davis is seeing more minutes at center since Darvin Ham became the Lakers‘ head coach and he’s still trying to get comfortable in that role, writes Kyle Goon of The Orange County Register. After Monday’s game, Davis looked back at L.A.’s last championship season when he was usually on the court with either JaVale McGee or Dwight Howard.

“I think roles just changed a little bit as far as me and positions,” he said. “In ’19/20, I was a roamer where I could be on whoever the forward is and help take everyone. It’s tough for me to do that when I’m guarding the five. Still can do it – still have to do it, find a way to do it.”

Goon notes that the Lakers have been through several centers since then, but none has been as effective. They tried Marc Gasol, Andre Drummond and DeAndre Jordan, and even brought Howard back. Thomas Bryant‘s thumb injury this season and Damian Jones‘ disappointing start have forced Davis to spend most of his time in the middle.

There’s more from Los Angeles:

A 2-8 start has led to speculation that Davis might be traded, but the Lakers aren’t giving serious consideration to that option, according to Jovan Buha of The Athletic. Buha points out that Davis is seeing the ball less since his switch to center, with a 25.5 usage percentage that’s the lowest since his second NBA season. However, his defense is as good as ever and Buha believes he would be the favorite for Defensive Player of the Year if L.A. had a better record.
Even though they aren’t winning, a lot of the Lakers’ offseason moves are working out, Buha adds. Lonnie Walker is fourth on the team in scoring and has been worth the investment of the mid-level exception; Troy Brown is starting and has been L.A.’s best 3-and-D option; and Juan Toscano-Anderson has provided energy and defense off the bench. An exception has been Patrick Beverley, who is posting career-low numbers in several offensive categories.
The Lakers will be “prudent” with their first-round picks in 2027 and 2029, says Shams Charania of The Athletic (video link). With the team not even assured of reaching the playoffs, Charania hears that the front office may only be interested in “marginal” deals, rather than seeking a major trade involving those first-rounders.

Lakers Notes: Trades, Ham, Roster, Davis, James

November 8th, 2022 at 10:52pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Are the Lakers holding out for a big move? Howard Beck of Sports Illustrated said on “The Crossover NBA Show” that they’re hoping for a “bigger piece to come loose” in a deal involving Russell Westbrook and their 2027 and 2029 first-round picks (hat tip to Peter Dewey of LakersDaily.com). Beck didn’t reveal the specific player that the front office may be targeting but says it’s not Kyrie Irving or the Pacers’ package of Myles Turner and Buddy Hield.

We have more on the Lakers:

First-year coach Darvin Ham says there’s not much the front office can do in terms of trades or a free agent signing because of financial constraints and the fact they’ve already used the mid-level exception, (Twitter video link). “Were a tax offender, right? Just can’t go out and start spending money everywhere to build a team,” Ham said. “We have three first-ballot Hall of Famers that a chunk of our budget is being spent on and there’s only so much left.”
The Lakers’ roster shortcomings are inescapable, Kyle Goon of the Orange County Register notes. They own the worst offense rating in the league and their defense has regressed in recent games. Lonnie Walker IV and Troy Brown are the only newcomers who have made a positive impact, according to Goon, while free agent additions Thomas Bryant and Dennis Schröder haven’t played due to injury.
Many people around the league are enjoying the Lakers’ front office’s struggles and one executive interviewed by Heavy.com’s Steve Bulpett declared “there’s no more championships” on the horizon. “Look where they are now and tell me when the hell they’re going to have a chance to compete for a championship again,” the executive said.
Anthony Davis (lower back tightness) and LeBron James (left foot soreness) are listed as probable for Wednesday’s game against the Clippers, Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times tweets.