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...
Anthony Edwards Is Setting A Different Tone For The Timberwolves
The Timberwolves have spent the offseason projecting a more connected, more settled group, with the kind of low-key bonding that can matter once the games start counting. The roster has been active away from the floor, from players keeping up with one another on social media to the team documenting Donte DiVincenzos rehab from an Achilles injury, all of it feeding the sense that Minnesota is trying to build continuity as much as talent.
Anthony Edwards is also sounding and acting like a player ready to carry more of the tone-setting load. For a team that already knows what it looks like to win in spurts, the bigger question is how that energy translates when the rotation settles and the new pieces are asked to fit quickly into a group that expects to contend again. [Read more 🡒]
Bulls Still Have A Chance To Turn These Misses Into A Win
The Timberwolves added another young wing piece in Jonathan Kuminga on a two-year contract, a move that fits their broader effort to stay competitive while keeping their roster in motion. Around the league, Bennedict Mathurin landed in New Orleans on a similar two-year deal, and the Bulls were notable for what they did not do, passing on a more aggressive push for either player despite having an open roster spot.
Chicagos decision was about preserving roster and financial flexibility, even as both players came in at a price that some teams could have justified. For Minnesota, the signing gives the front office another option to sort through, but it also tightens the cap picture enough that every follow-up move matters, especially with the roster still needing room for one more body and the ripple effects of any additional transaction likely to shape what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Timberwolves Face A Costly Donte DiVincenzo Decision In Cap Crunch
The Timberwolves offseason shuffle has left them doing some sharp accounting as they try to make room after adding LaMelo Ball and signing Jonathan Kuminga. Minnesota still needs to clear roughly $3 million, and with the roster math tightening, every decision around the back end of the lineup matters a little more than it did a week ago.
Donte DiVincenzo has become one of the more interesting names in that mix because the team values him and appears to want him in the fold once he gets past his injury. ESPNs Bobby Marks has also made it clear he expects DiVincenzo to be part of Minnesotas plans, which puts the focus on how the Wolves create the necessary flexibility without sacrificing a player they hope can help alongside Ball when hes ready to return. [Read more 🡒]