LOS ANGELES_Lou Williams was never one to pay attention to trade rumors. Corey Brewer didn't think he'd have had to this year.
On Tuesday afternoon the two players were part of the same deal, less than 48 hours before the NBA's trade deadline. The Lakers, most likely lottery-bound, sent shooting guard Williams to playoff-bound Houston in exchange for small forward Brewer and the Rockets' first-round draft pick this summer.
"I've been traded before so I'm used to it, but it's good," Brewer said. "L.A.'s a great city. It's a great organization. Hopefully I can come and contribute (to) getting the team back to where they want to be, that's a winner."
Like Williams, Brewer has a year left on his contract after this season. Williams is to be paid $7 million each season; Brewer will make $7.61 million this season and $7.58 million next season.
Magic Johnson, the Lakers' new president of basketball operations, negotiated the deal, making his first trade in his new role.
"Our untouchables are our young talent right now," Johnson said. "We've already let everybody know that. We want to hang onto our young talent. People have been calling for it but we've been saying no. And then they've been asking about a lot of other players as well."
Johnson said he got more calls about Williams than about any other player.
Williams had served as somewhat of a closer for the Lakers. He ranked fifth in the NBA in fourth-quarter scoring with 7.7 points per game in the fourth quarter. Williams trailed only Boston's Isaiah Thomas, Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook, New Orleans' DeMarcus Cousins and Toronto's Kyle Lowry. Still, the Lakers were only 1-8 in games in which Williams scored 25 points or more.
This is Brewer's 10th season in the NBA. He entered the league as the 7th overall pick in 2007, following a college career that included two championships at the University of Florida.
Brewer spent almost four seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves before being traded to the New York Knicks. He was part of the three-team deal that sent Carmelo Anthony to New York. The Knicks waived him shortly thereafter.
He played for the Mavericks, Nuggets and Timberwolves again, in the next three seasons. In December of 2014, the Timberwolves traded Brewer again, this time to the Rockets. That season Brewer averaged 11.9 points per game in the 56 games he played mostly as a reserve. He made 42.9 percent of his shots and 28.4 percent of his three-pointers.
Last season Brewer played in all 82 games for the Rockets, starting 12, and averaging 7.2 points per game.
After the Rockets practiced on Tuesday, Houston general manager Daryl Morey and coach Mike D'Antoni met with Brewer to tell him he was traded. As happens with trades, Brewer scrambled to figure out what was next for him, and when he had to move.
"It's a lot of talent," Brewer said of the Lakers. "Lot of young guys that can really play. They're up and coming. Coach Walton's a very good coach. Hopefully I can come help the culture and keep it going up. Whatever they want me to do, I'm comfortable with."
