Shannon Brown Will Be Returning to the Lakers

Lakers back up point guard Shannon Brown signed a two-year, $4.2-million deal with a player option the second year yesterday (July 6). Brown, 23, turned down a more lucrative contract with Indiana to remain with the Lakers. The Lakers are now down to only one unrestricted free agent: Lamar Odom, who is still far from making a negotiation. As one of what the L.A. Times called “the last big-name free agents still seeking a home,” Odom is asking for more than $10 million a season (he made $14.1 million last season) but the Lakers don’t seem willing to pay that much.

The Lakers can pretty much sign Odom without thinking about the salary cap and Kobe Bryant, for one, wants him back. “I hope so. He better be,” said Bryant when asked about Odom’s status. The free-agent moratorium ends tomorrow (July 8 ) and Brown and Ron Artest will officially sign with the Lakers then. Bryant is still negotiating and told the Times, “Mitch [Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak] has a lot on his plate. I’d rather him take care of those pieces first. He’ll get around to me.” Bryant is under contract next season for $23 million and said he would miss Trevor Ariza, although he was cautious when asked about Artest.

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