It has been very much an offseason of transition for the Los Angeles Lakers, whose offseason business remains unfinished.
The Lakers continue to get speculated as a team in the market for another move as the roster still has some concerns to address. L.A. is also said to be in the market to pick up another free agent even after signing Collin Sexton, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Matisse Thybulle and others to deals this offseason.
The free agent the Lakers seem to have interest in is one-time NBA champion Bruce Brown, who remains unsigned despite playing in all 82 regular season games and cashing nearly 39 percent of his 3-point attempts for the Denver Nuggets last season.
Rival’s Tight Situation Could Open Door for Lakers Move
The Cleveland Cavaliers were first mentioned as a suitor for Brown. But according to NBA insider Brett Siegel, the Cavs don’t appear to be in a position to offer Brown a contract after making a recent signing.
“I would look at the Knicks as a realistic option there (for Brown),” Siegel said, “maybe even a team like the Cavaliers. They’ve been mentioned for Bruce Brown over the course of the last year. The only problem there, though, is that they’re right up against the first apron and they just recently signed Khalifa Diop. … Unless they’re to make a move and cut a minimum type guy — Craig Porter maybe or somebody else — they wouldn’t really have a spot for Bruce Brown. That’s just kind of what we’re monitoring there. I would anticipate a playoff-contending team to bring in Bruce Brown.”
Siegel did mention that he would “cast doubt” on the Lakers’ chances of landing Brown, and while there may be some truth to that, the Lakers, unlike the Cavs, aren’t walking the apron fine line; plus, L.A. has contracts it can unload in trades, which could carve out an even easier path to sign Brown to a minimum deal. Although it is fair to question if the 6’4” Brown would provide the Lakers what they’re looking for, which is a starting-caliber power forward and a backup center.
Will L.A. Wrap Up its Offseason By Signing Brown?
The Lakers currently have 16 players on board, meaning they need to make a move to drop that number to 15 to become roster-compliant.
Heavy NBA insider Sean Deveney noted that the Lakers could make some moves to carve out an opening for a free agent signing.
“If the Lakers want to make a move that would free up room to add another player — Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer mentioned Bruce Brown as a possibility — they would probably need to make deals for both Knecht and Hardy, or offload a contract like that of Bronny James,” Deveney wrote.
Brown, 30, was highly-impactful for the Nuggets in their march to the 2023 NBA title. The veteran wing has been long-linked to the Lakers and reportedly even considered a move to the Lakers in free agency after winning a title in Denver before another team came calling with a more lucrative offer.
Could this be the year Brown lands in Los Angeles?
Lakers Get Good News on 39% 3-PT Wing Target After New Insider Report