One of the reasons the Los Angeles Lakers fell flat on their faces and missed the play-in tournament last season was their lack of wing depth.
In an attempt to rectify this problem, they signed Lonnie Walker IV and Troy Brown Jr. during the summer.
Walker is a 6-foot-4 guard who has ample athleticism and explosiveness. He hasn’t been a consistently efficient shooter or scorer in four NBA seasons, but he has shown signs he could become one in the right situation.
Brown, meanwhile, stands 6-foot-6 and seems to have the potential to become a 3-and-D small forward.
Walker missed the Lakers’ last preseason game on Friday due to an ankle injury he suffered on Wednesday versus the Minnesota Timberwolves. Brown did not play in the exhibition season because of a back injury.
While Brown is described by team officials as being a few weeks away, Walker reportedly looked great in practice over the weekend.
Lonnie Walker IV looked “great” in practice after missing last game as a precaution. AD also has “no restrictions whatsoever” ahead of the opener.
Troy Brown Jr. is still a few weeks away, though he’s making progress.
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) October 16, 2022
Los Angeles is banged up elsewhere on its roster. Russell Westbrook is nursing a hamstring ailment. Dennis Schroder has a finger injury, and Anthony Davis missed three of its six preseason contests with lower back tightness.
Not having both Brown and Walker to start the regular season would seriously deplete the team’s newfound depth at the guard and wing positions.
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