Lakers News: Lonnie Walker IV, Troy Brown Jr. Practicing Through Injuries

Two new Lakers wings will be limited in training camp.

Two fresh perimeter additions to your Los Angeles Lakers are grappling with nagging injuries that will limit what they'll be able to do during the team's official training camp, which will kick off tomorrow at L.A.'s El Segundo practice facilities.

Lonnie Walker IV, most recently of the San Antonio Spurs, and Troy Brown Jr., formerly a Chicago Bull, arrived in free agency this summer as the team overhauled its roster.

Kyle Goon of Southern California News Group tweets that team president Rob Pelinka indicated in Media Day comments to the press today that Brown, inked to a one-year veteran's minimum deal during the offseason, will be unable to absorb contact in practice "for a while" due to a lingering back injury. 

Pelinka also reveals that Walker, signed to a one-year, $6.5 million contract this summer, is playing through an ankle injury. Per Goon (via Twitter), Walker himself notes that is once again able to cut to the basket on the ankle in question, as well as resuming his "running and jumping" in workouts. It appears Walker will be closer to completing his rehabilitation.

Both players sport significant upside as athletes, though, as sub-par three-point shooters, neither will help spread the floor for stars LeBron James, Anthony Davis or Russell Westbrook to operate in the paint. The 6'4" Walker is a somewhat competent three-point shooter at least, connecting on 34.3% of his 3.6 attempts over the course of his four-year NBA career. The 6'6" Brown has made 33.7% of his 2.0 triples a night.

Thus, both these shooting guards will not be able to totally participate in team practices this week. That leaves more minutes available in training camp for two other shooting guards: second-year upstart Austin Reaves and rookie second-round draft pick Max Christie.

Combo guard Kendrick Nunn, meanwhile, has been cleared for full-contact practices after being sidelined for the entire 2021-22 season with a bone bruise.