Lakers Rumors: Brook Lopez, Bruce Brown Among Top FA Options for LA
It feels like every hour, the anticipation for 2023 free agency heats up even more as new reports roll in about every single team. Even the San Antonio Spurs, who just landed a generational talent in Victor Wembanyama, have also been rumored as a landing spot for superstar Damian Lillard.
But just like I've been advising the Los Angeles Lakers to do, I'm going to focus on what's going on with the purple and gold. It would be so easy for GM Rob Pelinka and the rest of LA's front office to hear all this noise around the league and revert to old ways by getting a deal done for a big, marquee name.
However, they're making the right moves right now and they need to stay on that same track. Both the former lottery pick Mo Bamba and sharpshooter Malik Beasley will hit waivers soon and even though LA could sign them back on cheaper deals, the consensus is right now that they will be moving forward without them. Now they will be able to offer the full MLE to a player of their choosing.
And it's looking like a former Laker in Brook Lopez is at the top of their list along with a player who just cooked the Lakers in the playoffs in Bruce Brown.
"Among the players L.A. has interest in signing with the non-tax midlevel are Denver Nuggets forward Bruce Brown and Milwaukee Bucks center Brook Lopez, sources told ESPN"
(Via ESPN)
Lopez successfully returned from back surgery this most recent season and shot a career-high 37 percent from the three-point line while also blocking the most shots per game in his career with 2.5. Anthony Davis clearly does not want to play center any more than he has to and Lopez is one of the best defensive big men in the game while also giving LA the ability to stretch the floor.
Brown, on the other hand, will give them depth at the guard position along with a scoring spark. He had multiple double-digit scoring games in the Western Conference Finals versus the Lakers and gave his own star teammates another option when he was on the floor.
Either one of these guys would be a huge addition to the squad but I personally hope Lopez makes a return to LA even if it means taking a slight pay cut compared to what other teams will offer.
