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Latest Laker: Corey Brewer

In Magic Johnson’s first trade as the Lakers’ President of Basketball Operations he acquired a veteran for the present and a pick for the near future.

In exchange for Lou Williams, the Lakers received 30-year-old wing Corey Brewer and a 2017 first-round draft pick from the Houston Rockets (currently in line for the 27th overall selection).

“This trade allows us to continue on the path of building something special, while maintaining future flexibility within the organization,” Johnson said in a statement Thursday. “Additionally, Corey is a proven veteran that will make a positive impact on our team right away.”

The nine-year NBA vet has been one of the smaller rotation pieces for the playoff-bound Rockets this year, averaging a career-low 15.9 minutes per game, which has led to -lows in points (4.2), rebounds (2.0), assists (1.1) and steals (0.7).

With less playing time, he has scored in double figures three times this year after having 24 such performances last season, including four games with more than 20 points.

The 6-foot-9, 186-pounder has shot 41.4 percent from the field this year and just 23.4 percent on 3-pointers, but he has shown to be an above average perimeter defender.

Three years ago, he ranked sixth in the NBA in steals with 1.9 per game. That same season, he went off for a career-high 51 points in a win over Minnesota.

The former seventh-overall pick also brings a bit of hardware to Los Angeles, as he was a reserve on the Dallas Mavericks’ 2011 championship team.

Before that, he was winning collegiate titles at the University of Florida, which he led to back-to-back NCAA championships, including as the 2008 Final Four Most Outstanding Player.

Brewer will try to fit in among a crowded crop of Lakers wings, as Nick Young and Jordan Clarkson assume the majority of minutes at shooting guard, while Brandon Ingram, Luol Deng and Metta World Peace are slotted at small forward.