Although the LA Clippers are hanging in the three-point margin percentage-wise with the Detroit Pistons and Sacramento Kings, Kobe Brown is the weight that is sinking the ship. He has been one of the worst wide-open three-point shooters in the league this season, and the ideal consequence would be a seat on the bench until a trade.
Brown is shooting 18.8% on attempts with a defender being six or more feet away from contesting his shot. That is a ton of space at the professional level, and as a result, the former first-round pick is fifth-worst in the NBA.
He is in the territory of players that do not often get guarded from beyond the arc, like Amen Thompson, Dyson Daniels, Cade Cunningham, and Brandon Williams; all four are barely worse.
Thus, there is no need for Lue to play Brown anymore. Three-point shooting is far from his cup of tea, and because he does not offer a single attribute offensively, he should get comfortable on the sidelines.
Kobe Brown should be on the LA Clippers' bench under every circumstance
Fans of the LA Clippers have vivid memories of how defenses treated Ben Simmons. They would guard him with a five-foot gap, often not contesting shots outside the paint, and have minimal concerns about his offensive impact.
Kobe Brown is seeing similar treatment, meaning defenses have it listed in the scouting report to leave him alone from a distance. He has to be able to shoot the ball at least decently at his position, yet the power forward is far from average. On the season, he is at 24.4%; a 21.1% negative difference from his senior season at Missouri, which was just in 2022-23.
Had the Clippers accepted his club option, they would have been trapped in his horrendous three-point shooting woes. He ultimately proved the front office right for declining; however, this comes with a downside, as his value is being lowered amid trade season.
Brown will have to be a salary filler in a bigger deal surrounding Kawhi Leonard, James Harden, or John Collins, as most teams will not go out of their way to acquire him.
That said, for the rest of his time as a Clipper, whether he is gone by February or let walk in the offseason, Brown should not be seen on the court. He is a liability and has held LA back in 221 minutes this season.