Kobe

Brown

Brown didn’t see the floor much during his rookie season, but he has played well as the star of the Clippers’ Summer League squad. He is averaging 16.5 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game as they’ve started the summer 4-0. Having lost Paul George to the 76ers, the Clippers may turn to Brown to take on more minutes this upcoming season. If he is able to play a consistent role, he may be able to provide some value in deeper leagues.

Having failed to crack the Clippers’ rotation as a rookie, Brown is looking to change that in 2024-25. He made the most of his opportunities on the offensive end of the floor; the 2023 first-round pick’s combination of strength and athleticism makes him a tough cover in the half-court. While the Clippers addressed Paul George’s exit by signing Derrick Jones Jr. and Nicolas Batum, there could be room for Brown on the back end of the rotation. One area he’ll need to address is defending without fouling, but the Clippers have asked Brown to take on a variety of assignments in Las Vegas. That approach should pay dividends once the season begins.

The outcome of Sunday’s game will not impact the Clippers’ playoff seeding or matchup, so George is one of many rotation players who will not play. Amir Coffey and Brandon Boston Jr. should log heavy minutes, and rookie Kobe Brown is also available to play.

Powell exited early from Wednesday’s game against the Kings after Harrison Barnes fell into his right leg. If he is forced to miss Thursday’s matchup with the Warriors, Kobe Brown, Bones Hyland, and Amir Coffey will all be candidates to fill his role. Hyland would be the best for fantasy, but Brown was the only one who saw minutes on Wednesday.

Brown suffered the injury early in the second quarter of the Clippers’ summer finale, limping off the court under his own power. Given the stakes or lack thereof, there was no reason for the Clippers to put their first-round pick back in the game. Brown was asked to do a bit of everything in Las Vegas, taking on a more expansive role than what likely awaits him when the regular season begins. If he can earn rotation minutes from the start, Brown could be worth a look in deep leagues. But Brown is unlikely to be a player that fantasy managers absolutely have to draft in the fall.

What a day for Brown, who had it rolling offensively while also managing to have an impact defensively. The seven 3-pointers may be the most impressive aspect of his Friday, as the first-round pick made 45.5% of his 3.3 attempts per game as a senior at Missouri. Brown was nowhere near that number during his first three seasons, but the foul shooting (79.2% last season, 74.7% for his college career) was a sign that he can eventually develop into a dependable shooter. Add in the defensive production, and Brown put forth a performance that should get him onto Tyronn Lue’s radar ahead of training camp in September. How much he’ll play next season remains to be seen, but consistent perimeter shooting and defensive production would help push Brown into the Clippers rotation.

With Moussa Diabate (ribs) sitting for a second consecutive game, the Clippers needed more production on the glass from their first-round pick. And Brown came through, hitting double figures in the rebounding category while recording a full stat line. He didn’t shoot the ball well from the field, but give the rookie credit for not letting that influence his overall game. Jason Preston also put up a points/rebounds double-double, tallying 13 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists in his 27 minutes on the court. Depending on how the Clippers address their roster (read: James Harden) before the start of training camp, Brown could be in line to earn rotation minutes in the fall.

Brown, the 30th overall pick in last month’s draft, did a little bit of everything in the Clippers’ win on Monday. And that fits what he brought to the table during his final two seasons at Missouri, with the 2022-23 campaign being his best. Brown is capable of contributing right away, even if there may not be the playing time needed to be of value in standard fantasy leagues.

Brown spent four seasons at Missouri and broke out during his season year. He set career-highs with 15.8 points, 55.3% on field goals, and 45.5% from deep. He’s a solid, all-around player but doesn’t dominate any individual category statistically. Brown is a physical prospect at 6’8”, 250 lbs, which should help him get on the floor during his rookie season. Los Angeles is top-heavy in its rotation with Paul George, Kawhi Leonard and plenty of question marks after that, so there could be minutes available right away.