The Los Angeles Lakers are a team to keep an eye on in the Bruce Brown sweepstakes, according to NBA insider Evan Sidery. The Lakers have been linked with Brown for over a year and Sidery believes they could make a move for the Toronto Raptors guard before the Feb. 6 trade deadline.
“The Lakers are a team to monitor as a trade suitor for Bruce Brown. Since last year, Los Angeles has coveted Brown as a role player who would fit well alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Brown’s $23 million salary will make trade negotiations complicated with the Raptors.”
The Lakers were reportedly interested in Brown when he became a free agent in 2023 but were unable to secure his services. He joined the Indiana Pacers on a two-year, $45 million deal instead but was then traded to the Raptors in Jan. 2024 as part of the package for Pascal Siakam.
With the Raptors now entering a total rebuild, they want to cash in on Brown, who is on an expiring contract and missed the start of the season after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery. You’d assume those factors make the asking price as low as it has been at any point in recent years, but that huge salary complicates matters.
The Lakers have already traded away D’Angelo Russell and don’t have too many other players on significant deals they’d be willing to part with. Gabe Vincent and Jarred Vanderbilt, who are making $11 million and $10.7 million respectively this season, might be the only ones.
Vanderbilt is in the first year of a four-year, $48 million deal and has missed a fair bit of time with injury, so you’d assume the Raptors wouldn’t be all that interested in him. So, the Lakers might have to part with someone like Max Christie, who is making $7.1 million this season, to acquire Brown and that might not be a good idea.
Brown is averaging 7.2 points, 2.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.7 blocks per game this season while shooting 31.3% from beyond the arc. Those are not great numbers, to say the least.
Brown hasn’t played like a great 3-and-D player since returning from surgery and it doesn’t make sense to give up anything too valuable for him, especially as he’s going to be a free agent in the summer. The best version of Brown would be a great addition to the 22-18 Lakers but he isn’t at his best at this point.
Bruce Brown Opened Up On Trade Rumors
Brown’s name has been mentioned in trade rumors all season long. With the deadline now approaching, speculation has intensified and he spoke about his situation to the Toronto Star.
“I’ve been in this situation the last two years, so if it happens, it does; if it doesn’t, I’m happy to be here,” Brown said. “It’s a business, (the talk is) going to happen. I was completely shocked last year when I got traded, so this year it’s whatever.”
It appears unlikely that Brown will be on the team after the deadline. It has been reported that the Raptors could consider a buyout if they fail to move him. His contract is a big issue and it will be interesting to see if a team is able to trade for him.
Even if Brown does become a free agent, that contract he signed with the Pacers is going to prove to be a bit of a headache. First apron teams like the Lakers will not be able to sign him, so the only way he ends up in Los Angeles this season is via a trade. We came up with two offers the Lakers could put on the table for Brown and time will tell if they go on either of these routes.
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