L.A. Lakers: Kwame Brown and the Forgotten Players of the Last 4 Years

The L.A. Lakers' success comes from its core: Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom. These players receive the glory when Los Angeles is successful.

This is rightfully so.

The Lakers' staff apparently realizes this and has switched up the surrounding cast multiple times. It seems that every new Laker is merely an experimental roster addition.

This article is for the players who showed up, gave some high-fives and, oh yeah, maybe won a championship ring or two.

Kwame Brown

Kwame Brown's career has been mostly a complete failure. Considering he was selected first overall by the Wizards in 2001, you could probably fit his list of accomplishments on a Post-it note.

Apparently, the Lakers saw the promise Washington saw four years earlier and added Brown to their roster. He started for most of his time with the team, averaging a dismal 5.7 points per game.

He was traded to the Grizzlies, along with Aaron McKie and Javaris Crittenton, to help L.A. land Pau Gasol.

Since his single campaign with the Grizzlies, Brown has played for the Pistons and most recently, the Bobcats. His last season was his most successful, and he averaged 7.9 points, 6.8 rebounds and 0.6 blocks a game. He is the presumed starting center for Charlotte next season.

Javaris Crittenton

Javaris Crittenton was supposed to take the role Derek Fisher left and Smush Parker couldn't dream of filling.

It just didn't end up like that.

the Lakers' experiment of Javaris turned out to be a failure. He never could develop his game into that of a starting point guard in the NBA.

He did help the Lakers land Pau Gasol when he was traded with Kwame Brown, Aaron McKie and the rights to Marc Gasol to Memphis. So, he helped the Lakers in that sense.

After another failed tenure with the Grizzlies, Javaris played for the Wizards and had a non-guarrenteed contract with the Bobcats.

In his most successful campaign was with the Wizards, he averaged 5.3 points and 2.6 assists.

Unfortunately, while playing for Washington, he was involved in a fight with teammate Gilbert Arenas and, oh yeah, a gun was involved. He was suspended for the rest of the season and has not played in the NBA since 2009.

Brian Cook

At power forward, Brian Cook has never provided the things usually asked of his position. During his entire NBA career, Cook has averaged 2.7 rebounds and 0.3 blocks per game.

His best attribute is his three-point shooting. Cook has averaged 39.6 percent from downtown throughout his career.

He has always been a sluggish player who puts little effort into his game. He was traded to Orlando, to Houston, and finally signed with the Clippers in 2010.

Last year with the Clips, Cook played as a solid, veteran role-player on a young, talented squad.

Maurice Evans

Along with Brian Cook, Maurice Evans was sent to Orlando to land the Lakers' Trevor Ariza. Ariza played a key role in their 2009 championship victory over the Magic, who gave him up a year earlier.

Evans deserves some credit, though.

He was a good role-player on a second-round Lakers squad, at best. Now he is an even better role-player for the struggling Washington Wizards.

Ira Newble

Newble didn't do much on the Lakers (or Cavaliers, or Hawks, or Spurs).

I guess we can leave it at that.

Ronny Turiaf

Turiaf has always been a physical and high-energy player. If you ever went to a Lakers game when Turiaf was on the roster, you knew he was embraced by the Lakers fans for his hustle and raw athleticism.

He has an inspirational story to go along with his talent, though.

During a physical exam just four weeks after the draft, doctors discovered an enlarged aortic root in his heart. Open-heart surgery was performed, and his dream of playing basketball in the NBA was fulfilled.

Today, Turiaf is the starting center for the New York Knicks.

Vladimir Rodmanovic

Once upon a time, Rodmanovic was the starting small forward for a Lakers championship-contending run in 2008. His production might have not been up to par, but he was always entertaining for Lakers fans and players.

Rodmanovic was known for his shooting and rightfully so. He was consistent around the arc and was a successful role-player for Los Angeles.

He is now a veteran bench-warmer on a young Warriors squad.

Chris Mihm

Chris Mihm was one of the most successful big men on the Lakers who played between the Shaq-Kobe and the Gasol-Kobe eras.

This isn't saying much though.

Mihm was not considered valuable to the team and was traded to the Grizzlies for a 2013 second-round draft pick a year after the arrival of Pau Gasol.

Mihm never played for the Grizzlies and is no longer a NBA player.

Coby Karl

The Lakers put Karl on the roster to give him a chance in the NBA. Being George Karl's son helped get his name out, but he just needed to get past the hump between the NBADL and the NBA.

His story was inspirational.

Coby was a player with a dream to play for a professional basketball team. Unfortunately for him, things just didn't pan out. With the little time he was given, Coby just wasn't able to capitalize and show his skills on the court.

Now he is a reserve for the Golden State Warriors.

Sun Yue

Sun Yue was one of Phil Jackson's "experiments" of the last few seasons when arguably the third-best player on the Chinese National team (behind Yao Ming and Yi Jianlian, in that order) was coming to join the Lakers.

In his first game with the team, Sun scored four points and had four fouls in four minutes of playing time.

He was a reserve for the team the rest of the year and played primarily when Lakers veterans were in need of a fourth-quarter rest.

Yue has not played in the NBA since the end of the 2008-2009 season. But, hey, at least he got a championship ring.

Adam Morrison

Adam Morrison had arguably one of the most successful college careers of the last decade. He never quite had that same success in the NBA though.

Morrison did win two championship rings his four years in the league, but he was never a strong contributor to the Lakers or the Bobcats.

Morrison was never given the chance to make it in the NBA. He was released by the Lakers in 2010, and was signed and released by the Wizards soon after. He did not play last season and is not currently on a NBA team.

D.J. Mbenga

Mbenga is a hunk of pure strength, muscle and athleticism. Unfortunately, his skills never quite evened out.

He was a solid reserve for the Lakers, but rarely got to play behind Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol.

Mbenga has turned into a solid role-player for the New Orleans Hornets and has been an immediate injection of energy for the crowd.

Josh Powell

Josh Powell, in my eyes, was the most solid backup to Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom of the last four years.

Unfortunately he had a tough time cracking that big man rotation. In 10.5 minutes a game, Powell averaged 4.9 points and 2.4 rebounds per game in his time with the Lakers.

I saw Josh Powell and D.J. Mbenga as two good players who had trouble finding playing time on a Lakers team filled with dominating big men.

Now Powell is a bench player for the Atlanta Hawks.

Jordan Farmar

Farmar has always been a solid back-up point guard. Whether it's for Derek Fisher, Devin Harris or Deron Williams, Farmar has managed to pick up where his successors left off.

The Lakers let Farmar go once they acquired Steve Blake. They expected Blake to more than fill the role that losing Farmar would create.

So far, they're wrong.

On the Nets, Farmar has turned into a key factor for New Jersey's bench.

Sasha Vujacic

As a Lakers fan, I miss Sasha. He was the comedic relief on a veteran Lakers squad. His demeanor on the court is probably the most enjoyable aspect of watching him play.

He gave himself the nickname the "Machine," for Pete's sake.

Sasha has been a good added piece for New Jersey—which isn't saying much. He can shoot, but he shoots bad shots.

Hopefully for Sasha, he can find a friendly home that will embrace him as many Lakers fans once did.

Derrick Caracter

Derrick Caracter is probably the opposite of a household name. He, along with Devin Ebanks (and nearly every other rookie to play under Phil Jackson), were not given the playing time for them to make themselves well-known and beloved by Lakers fans.

Caracter has a nice skill set and, because he hasn't had the proper chance yet, can still prove he is a good added piece to any team, given the opportunity.

Devin Ebanks

Ebanks contains the skill set Lakers fans have been missing since Los Angeles let go of Trevor Ariza. The two are long, athletic wingmen who are more than capable on the defensive end. Ebanks doesn't quite have the three-point shot of Ariza, but at such a young age, that can be corrected.

Ebanks can grow into an All-Star if given the proper nurturing.

With new Lakers head coach Mike Brown, Los Angeles is inheriting an uptempo style of play that fits Devin's play-style too well for him not to receive more playing time. Look for Devin to grow into an important role on the Los Angeles Lakers when the new season comes.

Trey Johnson

Trey Johnson was called up from the D-League during the end of last year's regular season.

To many people's surprise, Johnson was played by Phil Jackson more than Lakers rookies Derrick Caracter and Devin Ebanks.

What I saw in his short time on the floor was, in one word, promise.

Johnson was one of the leading scorers in the NBADL. He was not afraid to shoot with the Lakers either—well, considering it was the playoffs, anyways. Johnson scored three points in 5.5 minutes his first playoff game; these points came from a mid-range jumper and a make at the free-throw line.

Whether he stays with the Lakers or not, look for Johnson to prove he can play in the NBA.

Joe Smith

A former No. 1 pick, Smith dazzled fans with his athleticism and energy on the floor.

Well, that was in 1995.

At the age of 35, Smith has lost nearly all the physical attributes that made him a dominant player in the league.

He has tried to evolve by improving his jump shot, but the transition has been nothing less than awful.

Smith was traded to the Lakers from the New Jersey Nets for Sasha Vujacic. Sasha has turned into a significant role-player for the Nets, and Smith has turned into a reserve on the Lakers—just there to fill up the bench.

I guess you could say the Nets got the better half of that deal.

Theo Ratliff

In an attempt to bring in backups for Andrew Bynum, Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol, the Lakers found their best options in, er, veterans Theo Ratliff and Joe Smith.

There is still no clear answer why.

Ratliff spent most of the season injured and was never the significant factor the coaching staff expected. It was just another experiment that proved it is nearly impossible for new big men coming in to crack the Lakers' rotation behind Bynum, Odom and Gasol.

Ratliff should be set to retire this offseason.

Luke Walton

Luke Walton is a living nightmare for Lakers fans.

His importance to the team has been virtually nonexistent on the court. You wouldn't be able to tell that the Lakers signed him to a six-year contract four years ago (and by the way, the money hasn't paid off yet).

Once upon a time, though, Walton put up decent numbers as a role-player for Los Angeles; he averaged 11.4 points per game in 2006-2007.

It's been four years since then. 

He remains a Laker, in my opinion, because of his father, Bill Walton. Luke's mediocre play on both ends of the court should give Lakers fans a reason to hate him.