Apr 1, 2026; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Denver Nuggets guard/forward Bruce Brown (11) shoots an open shot against the Utah Jazz during the second half at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-Imagn Images
Apr 1, 2026; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Denver Nuggets guard/forward Bruce Brown (11) shoots an open shot against the Utah Jazz during the second half at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-Imagn Images
We are well into the 2026 NBA offseason by now, but there are still some major players on the board who are waiting for their next NBA contract. With Jonathan Kuminga now headed to Minnesota, it finally ends one of the league’s longest-running sagas, and it puts the Lakers in an interesting position.
For weeks, the Purple and Gold have been all-in on the Kuminga sweepstakes, and now they’ll have to look elsewhere for that final roster addition. The good news is, they already have a target in mind: former Denver Nuggets swingman Bruce Brown, who has reportedly been on their radar for years.
“Bruce Brown is still out there. To my understanding, he will not be going back to Denver. He would have been in the mix in Philadelphia, had the Sixers not gotten LeBron James,” reported Jake Fischer. “They had two veteran minimum spots available that went to LeBron and then KCP after LeBron signed in Philly. Those took up two spots for Brown, and I also think he was in the mix in Houston before they signed Jae’Sean Tate. Bruce just turned 30, and he’s 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’s also in the mix for the Lakers, a team that’s had some interest in him for several years now.”
LeBron James held up the offseason for months, but now that he’s been signed, things have been moving much more quickly. It’s a good thing, too, given that training camp is just a few weeks away. It gives the Lakers a small window for last-minute additions before the real action begins.
Like many other teams, the Lakers experienced a major roster overhaul this summer. Following the departures of LeBron James, Rui Hachimura, and Marcus Smart, they had millions of dollars to spend, which they used to fill out the roster with Walker Kessler, Collin Sexton, Sandro Mamukelashvili, and Kevon Looney (among others). It’s a solid and competitive lineup, but they lack a clear starting small forward, a spot that Kuminga was supposed to take.
As it stands, there’s only a limited pool of players left, and the Lakers are running out of options, which makes Brown especially valuable. With career averages of 8.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.0 steals, and 0.2 blocks per game, the 6’4″ veteran can’t be expected to put up big numbers, but he’s someone who can make a difference in their role.
With a two-way game and championship experience, Brown could help in more ways than one by adding maturity to the locker room and versatility to the rotation. Under head coach JJ Redick, Brown could thrive in Los Angeles and raise their ceiling with his ball-handling, scoring, and defensive awareness on the wing.
As arguably the best remaining free agent still unsigned, the Lakers likely won’t be the only team after Bruce Brown, but they might make the best fit out of all his possible destinations. At this point, only time will reveal what happens next, but it shouldn’t be long now before Brown joins his next NBA roster.