Lakers cut Yi Jianlian and Anthony Brown; Metta World Peace makes the opening roster

The Lakers waived center Yi Jianlian and small forward Anthony Brown to get down from 17 players to 15 before this afternoon’s deadline.

That means Metta World Peace and Thomas Robinson have both made the Lakers opening roster, pending waiver claims. This will mark World Peace’s 17th NBA season and the second year in a row he clawed his way onto the Lakers roster. Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak said before training camp that he didn’t expect World Peace to make the team — and didn’t last year when he also made it.

Robinson was a lottery pick in 2012 with the Sacramento Kings. The Lakers signed him in September.

Yi signed with the Lakers this summer after spending the last four seasons playing in China. His contract could have been worth $8 million depending on how long he remained.

In a phone conversation with the Lakers yesterday, he expressed his desire to look elsewhere

“Yi was productive in practices and games with us, and was a consummate professional both on and off the court,” Kupchak said in a release. “However, he felt that the minutes and opportunities he’d be afforded here were not in line with his goals and ambitions, and that he’d be better off in a different situation. We appreciate his efforts and wish him great success as he goes forward with his career.”

Brown was the Lakers second-round pick in 2015 and averaged 8.3 minutes per game in the preseason.