The Lakers came into the summer with some boxes checked, but the wing situation still looks unfinished. Jonathan Kuminga was supposed to be part of that fix, and when he chose a two-year, $12.4 million deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves instead, Los Angeles was left staring at the same need: more starter-caliber help on the perimeter.
That matters because the Lakers are tight on both bodies and money. They already have 16 confirmed players, and their payroll sits at $207.2 million, just $1.8 million below the first apron.
On top of that, the team is hard-capped at the first apron, which means the front office has to move salary before it can really do anything else. At this stage, the Lakers can only hand out veteran minimum contracts, so the pool of realistic options is narrow.
One name that keeps surfacing is Bruce Brown. He has been tied to the Lakers for a while, but the fit looks even cleaner now that Kuminga is off the board.
Brown has built his reputation as the kind of bench piece every contender wants: active, physical, and willing to do the dirty work. He crashes the glass, defends on the perimeter, and brings the kind of energy that shows up every night.
At 6’4″, Brown is a little undersized, but he makes up for it with experience, athleticism, and effort. Last season with the Nuggets, he played in 82 games and put up 7.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.0 steals per game while shooting 47.5% from the field and 38.5% from three-point range.
With the Lakers also missing out on re-signing Marcus Smart, Brown’s point-of-attack defense gives him extra appeal. His championship pedigree only adds to the case.
Another option is Cam Whitmore, who is now with the Cleveland Cavaliers after the five-team trade that sent Peyton Watson to Cleveland and brought Whitmore over from the Washington Wizards. The problem is that his situation may not last long. After the Cavaliers re-signed James Harden, they found themselves roughly $2.4 million above the first apron, and reports have suggested they may waive-and-stretch Whitmore’s $5.4 million contract to get under the line.
If he reaches free agency, Whitmore could draw attention. He’s 22, has a polished offensive package, and still offers upside as a young forward.
Last season with the Wizards, he averaged 9.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 0.7 steals per game while shooting 45.6% from the field. The shot from deep is the concern - he hit just 28.6% - and the defense is still a question, but his scoring burst off the bench would give the Lakers more flexibility.
He would be eligible for a $2.3 million veteran minimum deal.
Then there’s Ochai Agbaji, a 26-year-old swingman who may be the cleanest age-and-timeline match of the bunch. He entered the summer as an unrestricted free agent after the Brooklyn Nets declined to extend a qualifying offer.
On paper, he has the kind of physical profile teams love: 6’5″, a 6’10” wingspan, and strong athletic traits. He also has enough scoring instinct and shot-creation ability to make him interesting as a two-way wing.
His recent production has been uneven. Last season, Agbaji appeared in 62 games and averaged 5.1 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 0.8 steals while shooting 43.6% from the field and 26.6% from three.
But he has already shown he can do more with a bigger role. In his third NBA season with the Toronto Raptors, he started 45 games in 64 appearances and averaged 10.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 0.9 steals while shooting 49.8% from the field and 39.9% from three-point range.
After that season, his role shrank sharply, and he was traded to the Nets. Still, at 26, Agbaji fits what the Lakers need and where they are trying to go. He is eligible for a minimum contract starting at $2.5 million, which keeps him in the same low-cost range as the other options.
In Other News...
Lakers Lost Out On Jonathan Kuminga For A Reason Fans Will Notice
Jonathan Kumingas free-agency saga finally settled this week, with the former Warriors forward agreeing to a one-year deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves after weeks of back-and-forth that also drew in the Lakers and Chicago. For Los Angeles, the miss is a familiar kind of reminder that these decisions are rarely just about name recognition or cap space. Some players are looking first at fit, role and whether the organization feels aligned with what they want next.
Aaron Turner, Kumingas agent, said his client put the playing situation and organizational alignment ahead of contract length and money, which helps explain why the process unfolded the way it did. It also sheds light on why the Lakers were never quite enough on their own, even with their usual pull in these conversations. The larger surprise may be what happened before all of this, with Golden State never making a real push to keep Kuminga before moving on from him. [Read more 🡒]
Rockets Suddenly Have A Finals Case Fans Can Actually Believe
Fred VanVleets return has given Houston something it did not always have last season, a steadier hand in the middle of the chaos. The combination of his playmaking and leadership has people around the game taking the Rockets a lot more seriously, especially with Kevin Durant and Marcus Smart now part of a roster that suddenly looks deeper and more battle-tested than the one that finished last year.
Tracy McGrady and Vince Carter both pointed to that mix as the reason Houston can credibly talk about a title run, and the Western Conference is going to force the issue quickly. The bigger question is no longer whether the Rockets have talent, but whether the pieces fit well enough to turn that talent into a team that can survive the grind of a playoff spring. [Read more 🡒]
Cavs Missed On Jonathan Kuminga For A Reason Fans Will Debate
Jonathan Kumingas next stop came together with a little less drama than many around the league expected, even with the Lakers looming as a possible landing spot. Instead, the forward agreed to a two-year, $13 million deal with the Timberwolves, a contract that includes a player option, according to his agent Aaron Turner. For a player whose market had been watched closely, the choice says plenty about how he is trying to map out his career at this stage.
Minnesota clearly sold him on opportunity, and Kuminga reportedly believed it was the best basketball situation for him. The Timberwolves are planning to start him alongside Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert, which gives him a chance to fit into a lineup with real talent around him right away. For teams like the Lakers, it is another reminder that name value does not always win out when a player is weighing role, fit and the path he sees in front of him. [Read more 🡒]