Acquired via a trade that sent Vladimir Radmanovic to the Charlotte Bobcats in February 2009, Shannon Brown played an important role off the bench during the Lakers’ 2008-09 and 2009-10 championship seasons.
Selected 25th overall by Cleveland in the 2006 NBA draft, the former Michigan State standout had his playing time increased during the playoffs. He appeared in 82 games in the 2009-10 season, posting career highs in points, steals, assists and rebounds.
Known for his 44½-inch vertical leap and dunking skills, Brown took part in the 2010 NBA All-Star game dunk competition. The Illinois native signed a two-year deal with the Lakers worth $4.6 million in August 2010.
Brown worked on becoming a more complete player during the 2010 offseason and got off to a fast start during the ensuing season, averaging 10.83 points per game through the first 18 contests. But his numbers and playing time fell as the season progressed. He said off-court issues played a role in some of his struggles in 2010-11 and he even apologized to outgoing Coach Phil Jackson for his play during the Lakers’ season-ending playoff series against the Dallas Mavericks.