The Los Angeles Lakers may already have their fallback plan after losing one of the biggest remaining prizes in free agency.
Shortly after Jonathan Kuminga agreed to a two-year deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves, veteran guard Bruce Brown emerged as a potential Lakers target.
“I think he’s in the mix for the Lakers, a team that has had some interest in him for several years now,” NBA insider Jake Fischer said during a Bleacher Report livestream.
That history dates to 2023, when Brown nearly joined Los Angeles after helping the Denver Nuggets win the NBA championship.
Brown later revealed the Lakers offered him a three-year contract and an opportunity to start at point guard alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis. He intended to accept before Indiana changed his plans with a two-year, $40 million offer.
Three years later, Brown would likely cost the veteran minimum.
The 6-foot-4 guard is not a direct replacement for Kuminga, whose size and athleticism would have filled Los Angeles’ need for a starting-caliber forward. Brown can still address several of the same concerns at a considerably lower price.
He can defend multiple positions, operate as a secondary ball-handler and play without dominating possession alongside Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
Brown also showed he remains a useful rotation player during his second stint in Denver. He appeared in all 82 games last season, averaging 7.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists while shooting 47.5 percent from the field and 38.5 percent from 3-point range.
Los Angeles already added Matisse Thybulle and Ziaire Williams as part of an offseason overhaul built around defense and wing depth. Brown would bring another versatile option and championship experience to that group.
The Lakers currently have 16 players under contract and must reduce that number before the regular season, making another addition dependent on a corresponding move.
Brown would be a modest acquisition compared to Kuminga, but also a cleaner financial fit. After spending much of the summer chasing upside, the Lakers could pivot to the dependable veteran who nearly joined them three years ago.
