Lakers Rumors: LA 'Increasingly Confident' in Bruce Brown Contract Starting at $12.4M

The Los Angeles Lakers reportedly have "significant interest" in signing Bruce Brown this summer, according to Mike Singer of the Denver Post, and it sounds like there's a path opening up that will allow them to land one of their prized free-agent targets.

According to The Athletic's Jovan Buha, the Lakers "are increasingly confident" they can sign Brown for the non-taxpayer mid-level exception starting near $12.4 million, with cap flexibility likely to be opened up through a few moves on Thursday:

"There are multiple paths for the Lakers to open up cap flexibility under the luxury tax line (a projected $165 million), but the most realistic is to decline Malik Beasley's $16.5 million team option and waive Mo Bamba's $10.3 million non-guaranteed contract. The deadline for Los Angeles' decisions on Beasley and Bamba's contracts is Thursday."

NBA insider Marc Stein reported earlier Thursday that the franchise doesn't have a "great shot" at landing the Denver Nuggets veteran:

"I don't get the sense that the Lakers have a great shot at winning the Bruce Brown Sweepstakes for the same reason even teams with the full $12.4 million mid-level exception for non-taxpaying teams appear to have lost out on Max Strus: Some teams out there believe that Brown will command a contract that requires salary-cap space above the midlevel exception if the in-demand guard decides he is indeed prepared to leave the freshly minted champions in Denver."

Brown told reporters earlier this month that he was open to remaining in Denver next season.

"I want to stay," Brown said. "… It's a perfect fit. And money is not everything. The money will come. So I'm not worried about that right now."

However, the Nuggets can't offer him more than $7.8 million in 2023-24, making it more likely he plays elsewhere next season.

Brown played an important role off the bench for the Nuggets during the 2022-23 season and he went on to have the best year of his career, averaging 11.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.1 steals in 80 games while shooting 48.3 percent from the floor and 35.8 percent deep.

The 26-year-old also reached new heights during the 2023 playoffs en route to helping the Nuggets win the NBA title. He averaged 12.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.1 steals in 20 games while shooting 51.1 percent from the floor and 31.6 percent from deep.

The Lakers have been looking into all options this offseason as they aim to build a more competitive roster around LeBron James and Anthony Davis, and Brown would be a welcomed addition.

If the Lakers don't land Brown, there will always be other options, though it's important for the franchise to bring in some veteran talent this summer with their championship window likely to close soon.