Lakers Linked to Bruce Brown Years After Free Agency Near-Miss

The Los Angeles Lakers went through a massive roster overhaul this summer, with the storied NBA franchise going all in on building around Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves to begin the post-LeBron James era.

Although the majority of the team’s offseason moves have already been made, headlined by the acquisition of rising star Walker Kessler, the Lakers could still make a couple of moves before the 2026-27 NBA season gets underway on Oct. 21 against the Golden State Warriors.

Bruce Brown Emerges as Potential Target for Lakers

According to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, the Lakers could be in the mix for free agent guard Bruce Brown, who played for the Denver Nuggets last season.

“I think he’s in the mix for the Lakers, a team that has had some interest in him for several years now,” Fischer said.

As Fischer points out, the Lakers have had interest in Brown for quite some time. It seemed inevitable that Brown would land in Los Angeles at some point, and now that might finally become a reality.

Bruce Brown Was Going to Sign With the Lakers in 2023

During an appearance on DNVR Sports back in December of 2025, Brown admitted he was going to the Lakers after winning a championship with the Nuggets in 2023.

“I was going to the Lakers,” Brown said. “Free agency started. They called me … and they wanted me to be the starting point guard. So I’m like, I got LeBron [James], I got AD, I got guys where they went to the Western Conference Finals. I want to win again. I can be the starting point guard for this, and all I’m doing is giving them the ball and getting the hell out of the way.

“I was like, ‘I’m going to do it.’ I was going there on a three-year deal.”

Obviously, that partnership between the Lakers and Brown never came to fruition. He went on to say that after seemingly having a done deal with Los Angeles, the Indiana Pacers called with a two-year, $40 million deal, which he ended up taking.

The situation is clearly different now, as Brown would be joining the Lakers on a veteran minimum contract, which could be a steal for Los Angeles, as he’d be a valuable addition off the bench, bolstering the backcourt.

Jonathan Kuminga Prefers Lakers Over Timberwolves

Along with Brown potentially being another veteran addition to the Lakers’ roster, Los Angeles is still pursuing Jonathan Kuminga, who reportedly prefers to sign with the 17-time NBA champions over joining Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves, according to Fischer.

“Comes down to Minnesota or Los Angeles,” Fischer said. “Kuminga, I think, has seemed to prefer going to the Lakers. They have the most opportunity to negotiate there.”

It’ll be interesting to see how things pan out for the Lakers, as adding Kuminga and Brown into the mix would definitely be a step in the right direction.

Kuminga is an athletic wing with a lot of potential, who’d likely be a starter right out of the gate and someone who could flourish playing alongside Doncic. At the same time, Brown brings stability to the backcourt along with championship experience.

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