Will the Lakers add Bruce Brown?
The Los Angeles Lakers have remained active all offseason, beginning with the start of free agency when LeBron James informed the team that he would not be returning.
The Lakers roster overhaul has seen them lose LeBron James, Luke Kennard, Marcus Smart, Rui Hachimura, Deandre Ayton, and Jaxson Hayes, but add Walker Kessler, Quentin Grimes, Collin Sexton, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Kevon Looney, Jaden Hardy, Ziaire Williams, Matisse Thybulle and rookie Cameron Carr.
Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Jarred Vanderbilt, Dalton Knecht, Jake LaRavia, and Bronny James are all set to return.
In total, the Lakers have 16 players on the roster, but that hasn’t stopped them from being linked to Jonathan Kuminga, who signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves, and Bruce Brown, who remains an unrestricted free agent.
Interest in Bruce Brown?
Bleacher Report NBA Insider Jake Fischer said that Brown will be playing for a playoff-caliber team and that he is in the mix for the Lakers.
Brown spent last season with the Denver Nuggets, playing in all 82 games and averaging 7.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 2.1 assists on 47% shooting from the field and 38% from three. The veteran is known for his defensive ability and effort. He won a championship with the Nuggets in 2023.
Brown made just $2.2 million last season. The Lakers can’t offer him more than the minimum as they have no cap space of exception money.
How Real Is The Interest?
The Lakers already have 16 players under contract, one over the roster limit. They’ll have to offload one player before the season starts, and adding Brown would mean they’d have to find a way to get rid of two players.
When chasing Jonathan Kuminga, the Lakers only option to obtain the rangy forward was a sign-and-trade with the Atlanta Hawks. The team reportedly discussed giving up Jarred Vanderbilt or Jaden Hardy in such a deal.
They’ve tried to trade Dalton Knecht in past seasons, even having a deal in place with the Charlotte Hornets in February 2025 that would send Knecht, Cam Reddish, and draft compensation to the Hornets for Mark Williams. The deal fell through after Williams failed his physical with the Lakers.
It’s possible the Lakers are still looking at finding a way to dump Vanderbilt, Knecht, Hardy, or potentially Bronny James in order to make way for a veteran like Brown.
If they do add Brown, they’ll have even tougher roster decisions to make moving forward.
