These under the radar free agents could help the Bucks at small forward
By Franco Luna
The Milwaukee Bucks could target Troy Brown Jr.
Troy Brown Jr. had himself quite a solid season with the Los Angeles Lakers this season. He averaged 7.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game while shooting a very respectable 38.1 percent from 3-point range.
After bouncing around the league for a few years, the 15th overall pick in 2018 looks like he’s finally found his footing after his most recent one-year contract with Los Angeles.
He helped the Lakers spread the floor on offense, even though he shot 43 percent from the field overall. While not the most efficient, Brown was a key contributor off the bench for the Lakers, and he provided some much-needed athleticism and defense. He particularly shined when he was slotted into the rotation in place of the injured LeBron James.
Brown has good size, too, standing at 6-foot-7, and can also guard multiple positions. According to matchup data on NBA.com/stats, Brown held opposing guards to 35.7 field goal shooting, while he held forwards to 28.6 percent. He spent 73.8 percent of his time at the shooting guard spot and 26.2 percent as a forward.
He’s also capable of scoring in bunches when given the opportunity. Brown had his best game of the season when he scored 18 points and grabbed six rebounds in a win over Chicago.
Los Angeles will likely look to re-sign Brown once his contract expires this offseason. But if the Milwaukee Bucks are able to lure him from re-signing with the Lakers after a relatively deep playoff run, Brown could help patch the holes in the Bucks’ rotation at the shooting guard and small forward positions.