Lakers guard Shannon Brown will be a free agent at season's end, and could cash in with a sizable contract if he's able to produce consistently during the team's playoff run.

"Things have a funny way of working out, but I definitely hope I'm here next year," Brown said of returning to Los Angeles. "At the same time, I know I still have to go out and handle my business from now on."

Brown, who was acquired from Charlotte in the Adam Morrison trade, has been taking minutes away from Jordan Farmar.

The Orange County Register pointed out that Tyronn Lue emerged as a backup during the Lakers' 2001 championship run, and leveraged that into a lengthy NBA career.