The Lakers could hypothetically explore Cam Johnson or Christian Braun as potential Jonathan Kuminga alternatives, using a framework built around Jarred Vanderbilt, Jaden Hardy or Jake LaRavia, and a 2032 first-round pick swap to address their forward need while helping Denver gain flexibility and future value.
The Los Angeles Lakers' search for a starting-level forward remains complicated as the Jonathan Kuminga situation continues to drag on.
Cameron Johnson
Position SF
Age 30
Height 206 cm
Weight 93 kg
Birth place Pennsylvania, United States of America
Kuminga remains a priority target for the Lakers, but Los Angeles has reportedly been considering a two-year deal worth $20 million, which has not been enough for Kuminga and his camp to accept.
The situation is also complicated by the Lakers currently having 16 players on guaranteed contracts after Matisse Thybulle's signing, while NBA teams can carry only 15 such contracts into the regular season.
That means any move for Kuminga would likely need to come through a sign-and-trade or another roster-clearing transaction.
If the Lakers eventually look elsewhere, two hypothetical Denver Nuggets names could make sense in different ways: Cam Johnson and Christian Braun.
Same Lakers-Nuggets trade framework
The Lakers could use the same basic trade package in either scenario.
Lakers receive:
Cam Johnson or Christian Braun
Nuggets receive:
Jarred Vanderbilt
Jaden Hardy / Jake LaRavia
2032 first-round pick swap
This framework would give Denver salary matching, one rotation-level defensive forward, either a young scoring guard or an expiring contract, and a future draft asset.
For the Lakers, it would also solve a roster issue by sending out two standard-contract players and receiving one, bringing them closer to the 15-man regular-season limit.
Credit Getty Images via AFP - Scanpix
How the money would work
Johnson is owed $23.06 million in the final year of his contract, while Braun's five-year, $125 million extension begins with a salary around $21.55 million.
Vanderbilt makes around $12.4 million, while both Hardy and LaRavia are in the $6 million range. That puts the Lakers' outgoing salary at roughly $18.4 million.
Under normal salary-matching rules, that should be enough for Los Angeles to take back either Johnson or Braun, depending on the Lakers' exact apron situation and final structure.
Scenario 1: Lakers trade for Cam Johnson
Lakers receive:
Cam Johnson
Nuggets receive:
Jarred Vanderbilt
Jaden Hardy / Jake LaRavia
2032 first-round pick swap
Johnson would be the cleaner offensive fit for the Lakers.
He would give Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves a proven floor-spacing forward who can play off the ball, punish defenses from three, and fit into playoff lineups without needing high usage.
However, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, several teams have called Denver hoping the Nuggets would be willing to dump Johnson's salary, but those inquiries have been rebuffed.
Denver was reportedly pleased with his production despite injuries limiting him to 54 starts last season.
Credit Getty Images via AFP - Scanpix
Johnson shot career highs from the field and from three-point range, making 48.0% of his shots overall and 43.0% from beyond the arc.
Over his final 15 regular-season games, he averaged 15.2 points while shooting 56.2% from the field and 48.2% from three.
That makes it easy to understand why Denver would not be rushing to move him. Johnson is an expiring contract, but he is also a high-level shooter (39.6% from deep in his career) who fits next to Nikola Jokic.
That makes the Johnson scenario less likely than a normal salary-dump trade. If Denver has already rejected teams trying to take him as a dump, the Lakers would probably need to frame the offer as a real value deal, not just a salary-clearing move.
For the Lakers, the case is obvious: Johnson would immediately become one of their best shooters and would give Luka more spacing than most other realistic forward options.
For Denver, this deal would only make sense if the Nuggets eventually prioritize salary flexibility and future value.
In that case, LaRavia may be the cleaner piece than Hardy because he is on an expiring contract. However, Hardy would offer more long-term talent as a young scoring guard.
Scenario 2: Lakers trade for Christian Braun
Lakers receive:
Christian Braun
Nuggets receive:
Jarred Vanderbilt
Jaden Hardy / Jake LaRavia
2032 first-round pick swap
Braun would be a different type of gamble for Los Angeles.
Unlike Johnson, Braun is not an expiring contract. He is beginning a five-year, $125 million extension, which makes him a much bigger long-term financial commitment.
That is also why his value is more complicated. After an underwhelming 2025-26 season, Braun's contract could be viewed as a negative trade asset around the league.
Braun averaged 12.0 points (30.1% 3PT), 4.8 rebounds, and 2.7 assists over 44 games this past season.
Those numbers are solid for a rotation player, but they do not fully match the value of a five-year, $125 million contract, especially after Denver had extended him following a career-best season in which he posted 15.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.1 steals while shooting 39.7% from three.
That gap between his extension value and his current production is what could make his trade value more uncertain. If teams are reluctant to give up major assets for him, Denver may not have the same leverage it would have in a Johnson trade.
This is where Braun becomes more realistic from a Lakers perspective. If the rest of the league views his contract as difficult, Los Angeles could try to buy low on a player whose athleticism, age-25 profile, and defensive tools still fit their roster needs.
Credit Image – Scanpix
Braun also fits the type of wing the Lakers are looking for: someone who can defend, move without the ball, finish in transition, and make enough threes to stay on the floor.
For Denver, the logic would be financial. Moving Braun would reduce a long-term salary commitment and bring back Vanderbilt's defense, either Hardy's scoring or LaRavia's expiring salary, plus a 2032 first-round pick swap.
The first-round swap would be important because Denver would still be moving a young rotation player. But if Braun's contract is viewed negatively, the Lakers would also have a case to avoid adding even more draft capital beyond the swap.
Everyone Is Wrong About This Lakers Signing
Pijus Sapetka
Daily Writer
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