by Malfa on Mon Oct 03, 2005 11:45 pm
LOS ANGELES -- Kwame Brown is headed back to the Washington Wizards, his agent said Tuesday.
Kwame Brown
Forward-Center
Los Angeles Lakers
Profile
2005-2005 SEASON STATISTICS
GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT%
14 17.5 11.9 2.9 .460 .624
Arn Tellem confirmed a published report that Brown, the first overall selection in the 2001 NBA draft, will be involved in a trade between the Lakers and Washington Wizards.
That would be December 22 the day the trade will be most likely approved by the NBA.
Tellem wouldn't comment further, saying: "We're restricted in what we can say."
The 6-foot-11 Brown will join the Wizards in exchange for guard Gilbert Arenas and swingman Bobby Simmons, sources told ESPN Insider Chad Ford.
The 23-year-old Brown has been a disappointment in his four seasons with the Wizards, but has shown great potential at times. He gives the Lakers an inside presence they lacked last season, and presumably will move into the starting lineup at power forward and enable Lamar Odom to move to small forward, considered his natural position.
Phil Jackson signed a three-year contract last month to return as coach of the Lakers after taking a season off. The team failed to make the playoffs for only the second time since 1976, going 34-48 and losing 19 of their last 21 games.
Brown was the first high school player to be chosen No. 1 in the draft, and averaged 4.5 points and 3.5 rebounds in 57 games as a rookie.
He averaged 7.4 points and 5.3 rebounds in 80 games in his second season, and 10.9 points and a team-leading 7.4 rebounds in 74 games in his third year.
Brown broke his right foot in a pickup game last summer, and began the 2004-05 season on the injured list. He wound up playing in only 42 games and averaging 7.0 points and 4.9 rebounds in 21.6 minutes.
