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The LA Lakers are reportedly still in play to make changes in their roster by the trade deadline. Among those they are interested in is forward Bruce Brown, a member of the 2023 NBA champions Denver Nuggets but is now with the Toronto Raptors.
ESPN NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski reported on the matter on NBA Countdown ahead of the LA Lakers’ game against the Brooklyn Nets on Friday. He highlighted how the purple and gold were already interested in Brown in the offseason before the latter signed with the Indiana Pacers.
Wojnarowski said:
“From the time the Lakers lost to the Nuggets and eliminated in the conference finals last year, there’s been one player that they have been focusing on in trying to acquire, Bruce Brown Jr. He was part of that Denver team that eliminated them. And Denver couldn’t afford to keep him.”
"If Indiana had not stepped up with a 2-year, $45-million deal, there's a very good chance Bruce Brown would've gone to the Lakers for the mid-level exception… There is a big market for Bruce Brown. [But] Continue to watch the Lakers with Bruce Brown to see if there's a pathway."
Bruce Brown’s stay in Indiana, however, was short-lived as he was dealt to the Raptors, part of the trade deal involving All-Star Pascal Siakam. He was sent up north along with Jordan Nwora, Kira Lewis, and future draft picks for Siakam and a future second-round pick.
The six-year forward played his first game for the Raptors against the Chicago Bulls on Thursday, finishing with 15 points and seven rebounds.
LA Lakers coach admits team looking to get better by way of trade
LA Lakers coach Darvin Ham has admitted that they need to improve if they hope to go deep in the ongoing NBA season, and that includes the possibility of trading for players by the league deadline.
If the postseason started today, the purple and gold are outside of the outright playoff picture at 10th place in the Western Conference with a 21-21 record.
The team has had it rough after winning the first NBA In-Season Tournament in early December, going 7-12 in its next 19 games.
Speaking to the media recently, Ham said they are open to trades but until deals are consummated, they will continue finding ways to improve their campaign.
The second-year LA Lakers coach said (by way of Bleacher Report):
“People talk about trades and this and that. No one's sugarcoating anything. You have an opportunity to get better, you're going take advantage of it. But that said, what we have in that locker room, we just need to buckle down, focus, take care of the details. We have more than enough in that locker room to make some things happen."
The LA Lakers were to see action on Friday against the Brooklyn Nets, coming off back-to-back wins.
Guess the Lakers players!
