The Lakers are “increasingly confident” about their chances of signing Bruce Brown using the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, multiple sources tell Jovan Buha of The Athletic.
The Denver Post first reported on Wednesday that the Lakers have “significant” interest in Brown. A subsequent report suggested that the Nuggets‘ free agent guard may receive offers worth more than the mid-level, which would be virtually impossible for L.A. to match. However, Buha’s latest report suggests the Lakers still feel good about their odds of landing the versatile guard.
As Buha details, there’s a path for the Lakers to re-sign D’Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves, and Rui Hachimura while also using the full mid-level exception, which would hard-cap their team salary at approximately $172MM. That path would require the club to decline Malik Beasley‘s $16.5MM team option and waive Mohamed Bamba, whose $10.3MM salary is non-guaranteed.
Here are a few more free agent rumblings from around the NBA:
- The Cavaliers have interest in Hornets restricted free agent Miles Bridges, sources tell Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. However, with only the mid-level exception to offer, Cleveland is a long shot to land Bridges, given that Charlotte would match a mid-level offer sheet “in an instant,” Fedor writes. Sources tell Cleveland.com that Bridges’ camp is expecting a significantly higher per-year salary.
- Elsewhere within his look at the Cavaliers‘ options in free agency, Fedor says Max Strus would be near the top of the team’s wish list if he’s attainable with the mid-level exception, which he may not be. Fedor adds that Cleveland is in the market for more forward depth in addition to a two-way wing, naming Georges Niang as a possible target.
- The Heat and Kevin Love have mutual interest in working out a new deal, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Miami only holds Love’s Non-Bird rights, so he’d likely have to accept a minimum-salary contract or something slightly above that if he wants to return.
- In an entertaining piece for GQ.com, Howard Beck speaks to a number of anonymous team executives about their expectations for the NBA’s 2023 offseason.
Are the Hornets allowed to do a sign and trade with Bridges? Some analyst I forget who, mentioned that since he missed last season, they’re not sure the Hornets are even able to do so.
If you sign Brucie that signals to me that you say bye-bye to AR-15, the great white hype, whos been getting James Harden type calls for being a nobody…
They just explained how they could get Bruce and keep Austin too.
I don’t think so. If LeBron is out there setting picks for Reaves then why lose him. Plus Brown is a agent of chaos, he is likely better off the bench so he has more creation opportunities.
Breaking news, the lakers are “extremely confident” they will sign Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley and Abraham Lincoln
Well they picked up Scottie Pippen last year so they may be on the something.
Niang is a fringe rotation guy at best. Cavs will be going backwards signing him, especially if they intend to start him.
I would love the Cavs to bring back alive but they need to explain to Love how they will actually use him instead of holding down a spot on the bench. Cavs need better depth behind Mobley and Allen, especially since both at the moment can’t or don’tshoot more than 5 ft from the basket. Mobley MUST work on his jumper and maybe shook so he can score 15ft from the basket.
Vet Minimum!!! Well then Love might as well come to Portland. Start the trend.