Unfortunately for Los Angeles Lakers fans, the harsh reality is that their team was unable to put up a formidable fight against the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals this past season. LeBron James and Co. did all they could to match the mighty Nuggets, but in the end, they proved no match to the eventual champs.
At this point, it seems that the Lakers are now interested in poaching one of Denver’s key pieces in their historic title run. This comes in the form of 6-foot-4 guard/forward Bruce Brown, who is now set to enter NBA free agency.
The Lakers Are Interested In Acquiring The Services Of Bruce Brown
Brown is no star, but there’s also no denying that he was integral to the Nuggets’ success this past season. Against the Lakers in the WCF, Brown was a force off the bench, as he played a key role on both ends of the floor for Denver’s second unit. It appears that coach Darvin Ham and his staff liked what they saw from the 26-year-old and he’s now popped up on their radar.
According to Nuggets team insider Mike Singer of the Denver Post, the Lakers have “significant interest” in Brown. It is worth noting, though, that Singer noted that LA is merely one of the teams that are in the running for the in-demand swingman. Should they decide to make a run for Brown, it sounds like the Lakers will have some stiff competition for his services, which obviously also includes the Nuggets.
Why The Lakers Have The Upper Hand Over The Nuggets In The Bruce Brown Race
Singer also indicates in his report that the Lakers actually hold a significant advantage over the Nuggets in the race to sign Bruce Brown. LA could use their mid-level exception to offer him a deal that will see him pocket $12.3 million per year. Denver, on the other hand, is only able to table an offer of up to $7.8 million this coming season. That’s a significant margin, no doubt, and this could be the determining factor that convinces Brown to take his talents over to Hollywood.
Much like the Nuggets, the Milwaukee Bucks are also in the same precarious situation with their current batch of free agents. Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez sit atop the list of Milwaukee’s must-keep players, with both set to enter NBA free agency within the next 24 hours. The Bucks too will have their work cut out for them in terms of trying to keep Middleton and Lopez in Milwaukee.
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