After missing out on Jonathan Kuminga and other big names on the trade and free-agent markets, the Los Angeles Lakers have most recently been linked to a move that would add former NBA champion Bruce Brown from the Denver Nuggets.
Brown, 30, remains an unrestricted free agent after playing in all 82 games last season in what was his second stint with the Nuggets. Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report named the wing as a top option for the Lakers to target after their other offseason misses.
However, while Brown could be a solid backup forward and veteran presence for the Lakers next season, signing him this summer would only complicate a growing issue for the franchise, and as one team writer explained, it might be best for Los Angeles to take him off their board of top free agent targets.
Lakers Urged Against Bruce Brown Signing Despite Interest
Writing for LakeShowLife.com, Svyatoslav Rovenchuk discussed how, though Brown could be an intriguing option for the Lakers, adding him means the team will have to cut ties with another player, as they are currently over the 15-man roster limitations set by the NBA.
The Lakers roster currently features 16 players, and while at least one won’t be on the team by October 1, signing Brown would force the front office to decide the fate of another player.
“The Lakers roster is full, though. More than that, they are heading toward this upcoming campaign over the allowable limit at 16. They need to trim, not add,” Rovenchuk described. “Couple that with the other players already on the roster who can slot in at the positions that Brown would play and the Lakers have very little reason to expend their efforts on getting him to Los Angeles.”
The Lakers already completed a mini-camp in Slovenia held by franchise superstar Luka Doncic. Bringing in a new player while also moving on from two would throw off team chemistry and perhaps convey a sense that the front office isn’t comfortable with the names currently under contract.
Though some might not think that should be the determining factor, as Rovenchuk mentioned, it’s hard to single out one name to immediately put on the chopping block.
“If the Lakers simply had an open roster spot for him, signing him to a deal could make sense…(But) adding Brown would put another player on the chopping block. Who exactly would that be?” he asked.
“Would Los Angeles really want to sacrifice the developmental minutes of a player like Cameron Carr or Adou Thiero, for example? Again, the incentive is hardly there,” Rovenchuk added. “The idea of adding the former NBA champion does not have enough reasoning to back it at this point of the summer.”
Brown would be a solid addition, but the Lakers have to weigh whether bringing him in would be better than giving his expected minutes to someone already on the roster.
Los Angeles Linked To The NBA Champion As A Free Agent Target
The Lakers’ ties to Brown have popped up here and there over the past few years, but most recently, it was Fischer speaking on a live stream. The NBA insider explicitly mentioned the team’s interest in the 30-year-old wing.
“Bruce Brown is going to be playing for some type of playoff-caliber team this season. It’s just a matter of where and a matter of when,” he said. “I think he’s in the mix for the Lakers, a team that has had some interest in him for several years now.”
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Though he is a well-rounded player with much-needed championship experience, it’s very unlikely Brown would arrive to fill the Lakers’ hole at the starting power forward position. He has a proven skill set and would probably come on a minimum contract, but the question remains whether he’s the difference-maker Los Angeles has been looking for all offseason.
Though that cheap of a price tag could be intriguing, Brown’s averages last season of 7.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists on 47.5% shooting wouldn’t be enough to move the needle on the Lakers’ title hopes. He did play in all 82 games in 2025-26, but Brown remains a complementary piece, not one that would drastically change where Los Angeles would be projected to finish in the Western Conference.
Despite all of this, the Lakers are reportedly ready to trade Dalton Knecht and/or Jaden Hardy. If they can move both of them for one solid player, bringing in Brown amid the roster limitations would be the ideal scenario.
However, at least for now, keeping the current roster together might be the best move for Los Angeles, a team that is already expected to face an uphill battle to compete for a title next season.
Lakers Urged Against Signing NBA Champion Despite Reported Interest