Shannon Brown says choice to stay with Lakers was easy

For Shannon Brown, it really was simple.

He always wanted to come back and play for the Lakers. He always wanted to re-sign with the Lakers. He always wanted to have an opportunity to be a part of a team that’s trying to three-peat.

It took a little more than a month after the free-agency period began July 1, but Brown and the Lakers came to an agreement on a two-year, $4.6-million deal, with his option on the second year.

Brown, who mulled over offers from several teams, officially signed his contract Wednesday.

“This has been the best fit, the best spot, the best everything for me,” Brown said at a news conference at the Lakers’ training facility in El Segundo. “I sat down and evaluated all the situations from the money to the teams to my potential role on the team. And this has been at the top, No. 1 on the list.”

The Cleveland Cavaliers went hard after Brown and one report said the New York Knicks offered Brown a deal worth $4 million to $5 million a season.

“All the rumors out there about everybody offering me all this $4 or $5 million and all of that, that’s not true,” Brown said. “This was just the best situation for what was going on — a chance to win three NBA championships, a great city to live in and everything just felt right.”

All summer, Kobe Bryant has helped to recruit players for the Lakers.

It was no different for Brown.

“He definitely told me that if I was to come back that I was going to have a major role helping the bench to help the starters,” Brown said. “Helping the team was a major thing. [He told me about] little individual things I had to do to continue to get better on the court and to help the team.”

Since he was acquired from the Charlotte Bobcats in February 2009, Brown has played a role off the bench in helping the Lakers win the last two NBA championships.

He averaged a career-best 8.1 points and 2.2 rebounds last season.

Known for his athleticism and tremendous leaping ability as a 6-foot-4 guard, Brown said he has worked all summer on improving his “skill work.”

“Obviously everybody knows I can run, jump and all of that stuff,” Brown said. “Now it’s just more about skills and being able to solidify myself as a basketball player instead of an athlete.”

Brown, who suffered a sprained right thumb last season, said he won’t need surgery because “it’s healed up pretty well.”

broderick.turner@latimes.com

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