Burning Camp Question 11: Who is the Lakers’ sleeper this season?

October 13th, 2009, 4:59 am · 11 Comments · posted by KEVIN DING, OCREGISTER.COM

kevmug2007-cropped Q: What are the chances someone outside the top six in the Lakers’ playing rotation emerges this season?

A: 39 percent.

You’ve got the starting five of Kobe Bryant, Derek Fisher, Ron Artest, Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum, plus sixth man Lamar Odom. (Side note: Funny how there was a worldwide overreaction to the misguided suggestion that Odom would start over Bynum, based on one scrimmage. Kinda ridiculous.) Beyond those six leading men, though, the Lakers would love for someone else to step up as a dependable contributor, even though those six are so good that they’ll undoubtedly do most of the work.

I’m not convinced Shannon Brown is ready to do the little things that the Lakers’ coaches want to keep their team running most smoothly, and it’s just not going to be possible for Luke Walton, Josh Powell, Adam Morrison or DJ Mbenga to get enough minutes in the Lakers’ strong frontcourt to do anything consistently.

Who’s left? Jordan Farmar and Sasha Vujacic, the two young guards the Lakers believed could take great leaps forward last season. Neither did, but one certainly could this season with more experience, maturity and motivation after the 2008-09 individual disappointment. Between those two, it’s obvious which one has the greater opportunity given Phil Jackson’s determination to cut Fisher’s minutes: Farmar.

Brown should play over Farmar in certain matchups with bigger opposing guards, but there’s no doubt that Farmar — particuarly with how much damage he should be doing in plentiful garbage time — will have his moments this season. In fact, those in daily fantasy leagues would be wise to look to him as a savvy plug-and-play pickup, depending on the schedule, because he still projects to get the seventh-most minutes on the team this season.

Vujacic, however, could again fall into an instant-offense role for the second unit if his jump shot rights itself and he shows more of a mid-range game, as he hopes to do. Vujacic’s defense has already become pretty strong in its own pesky way.

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deezy76 says:

October 13, 2009 at 7:36 am

I hope Shannon Brown builds off of what he started last year and has a real breakout year. I’d like to see him as the starting PG one day. I really like Farmar, but I’m not convinced he’s a starting PG. Not that my opinion really matters or anything…

Tacos Hummus says:

October 13, 2009 at 9:14 am

is this one of those, “try to get a reaction” articles? Clearly, Shannon Brown’s career is on the upswing, the Lakers signed him to a 2 year deal and have told Farmar to prove himself worthy of a bigger contract, which everybody knows, he won’t, so… ???

Sasha already has a multi-year deal so he can come in when we have a 20 point lead and make 3 pointers, besides that, when the game is still on the line he most likely will lose minutes to Shannon Brown, especially if Brown becomes a better 3 point shooter, making Sasha totally irrelevant.

J-Dizzle says:

October 13, 2009 at 9:33 am

How can he not be convinced by Brown. The guy has great quickness, superb athleticism, capability of making open shots. All he really needs is to pick up on the triangle, hone it and develop his playmaking and decision making ability. The guy is better then advertised. Shannon won’t be a sleeper though, Sasha is the sleeper here I think after the season he had last year.

deezy80 says:

October 13, 2009 at 10:20 am

I’ll say the sleeper will be Shannon Brown. Jordan Farmar doesn’t play any defense. Truth be told, Farmar may be gone by the trade dead line.

zeebabez says:

October 13, 2009 at 12:38 pm

lol, jordan farmar is gonna breakout this season. shannon makes a couple of dunks and has a few moments on defense and all of a sudden he’s a star. get off his nuts. farmar is way more talented than brown he just has mental lapses. great prediction .

thechampishere says:

October 13, 2009 at 8:20 pm

I wouldn’t say he’s “way more talented” than Brown. But he is a prototypical PG who knows the offense inside and out seeing as he’s been a Laker for 4 years. That’s the only leg up Farmar has on Shannon.

It sounds like you guys are focusing on one and writing off the other. There both Lakers, embrace them both. I think because of their styles of play it’s very possible that both will break out and contribute big. Brown is motivated by the 2 year contract and trying to make LA a permanent home. And Jordan playing for an extension and a chance to prove that he can lead a team.

Both of our young PGs have plenty to motivate them to do well and that’s great for the Lakers. And I have all the confidence in the world that Vujacic will be fine. He hit rock bottom last season. There’s no place for him to go but up!

October 13, 2009 at 12:43 pm

I’d agree Deezy… but Shannon Brown I feel made his mark last season and in the playoffs. I think he’s emerged too much to be a sleeper. With him its almost expected at least to me.

Clobbersaurus says:

October 13, 2009 at 2:14 pm

I strongly disagree with your assessment of UPS (Brown Delivers): “I’m not convinced Shannon Brown is ready to do the little things that the Lakers’ coaches want to keep their team running most smoothly”

On the contrary, I think doing those little things is his explicit strength.

Seppy says:

October 14, 2009 at 4:07 am

You heard it here first!…Farmar is a gone man…his days are numbered…will be delt by trading deadline in Feb. Farmar will only get playing time to boost his stock for future trades. PJ is a master at setting up his players to succeed only to maximize trading value.

October 14, 2009 at 5:21 am

I’m not saying he’s going to do all the little things, but with what he’s displayed so far, anything that he can or would do shouldn’t come as any surprise at this point anymore. If anything, at this point it should just be considered a bonus. After what he showed last season and in the playoffs.. the defense, the poise, his shotmaking ability etc… it’s hard for me to be surprised. Instead, I just find myself a bit awestruck and excited instead and curious as well. I like the UPS nickname there. It’s a question of being a sleeper though and at this point, Shannon isn’t a sleeper pick really.

Angel says:

October 14, 2009 at 6:18 pm

My Sleeper Pick This Season ~ Adam Morrison

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