The Los Angeles Lakers are busily preparing for the free agency frenzy to begin in a few shorts days and recent reports are starting to give fans an indication of what to expect. For those of you hoping the franchise would bring back Shannon Brown, who was one of the best players in the league off the bench in 2010, do not hold your breath. It appears that Brown will get a better deal elsewhere. Kevin Ding of The Orange County Register has the update on Twitter:
Kupchak expects Shannon Brown to get a better FA deal away from Lakers. Neither Theo Ratliff nor Joe Smith will return.
The news about Ratliff and Smith is not surprising, though it would be a substantial blow to the team should Brown leave. Mitch Kupchak will likely look to other options available in free agency and through trades. Finding an adequate backup for Kobe Bryant is a necessity for the 2011-2012 Lakers and they will have some work to do in the coming weeks.
This could also mean a slightly increased role for Derek Fisher, especially if LA is unable to find a backup similar to what Brown brought to the team. This has to be at least somewhat concerning, especially with Fisher turning 37 over the summer.
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