The Los Angeles Lakers may be on the verge of acquiring an old thorn in their side.
ClutchPoint’s Brett Siegel reported this week that the Lakers were among the teams that expressed interest in acquiring Toronto Raptors swingman Bruce Brown last season, with Siegel adding that the Lakers remain interested in the 27-year-old Brown this offseason.
Brown is a likely trade target for the rebuilding Raptors, who have exercised their $23 million team option for next season but are open to moving him on a larger contract when his expiring contract expires. Brown averaged 10.8 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game last year and is known for his positional versatility, three-and-a-half-point prowess and rebound-grabbing ability despite being 6-foot-4.
The Lakers are familiar with Brown’s play because he was a member of the Denver Nuggets that won the NBA championship in 2023. That year, the Nuggets swept the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals, and Brown launched a hard attack on Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell during that series. Any trade for Brown would likely include Russell himself, as he is on an expiring $18.7 million contract, but the Lakers still seem very interested in adding Brown to the puzzle.