3 players the Lakers can target after waiving Mo Bamba and Malik Beasley

No. 1 Los Angeles Lakers free agent target: Bruce Brown Jr.

Bruce Brown Jr. has openly stated his desire to return to Denver and ‘run it back’ as the kids like to say, but here’s the rub: the Nuggets can’t pay him more than $7.8 million per year. If the Lakers are smart with their resources, Los Angeles can give him over $12 million per year while still providing Brown with a realistic path to contention.

Los Angeles has been tied to Brown in the rumor mill lately and it feels like a strong possibility now that Bamba and Beasley have officially been waived. Brown was the foundation of Denver’s second unit and absolutely essential to the Nuggets’ title run. Signing Brown would be a huge boost for the Lakers, but it would also diminish their top competitor in the West. It’s a win-win, but the Lakers get both wins.

Brown has been a master of adaptation in his NBA career. With Brooklyn, he took on the role of Draymond-lite playmaking hub, setting screens and spraying passes from the middle of the floor. With Denver, he supplied a different kind of connective tissue, spacing the floor, cutting backdoor, and making razor-sharp passing reads in the flow of the offense.

While not an elite shooter, Brown hit 35.8 percent of his long-range attempts last season and he’s enough of a threat to stay on the floor in the playoffs. His defensive versatility is a valuable weapon and he’s one of the smartest role players working today. The Lakers need established winners who can make plays without dominating touches. That’s Brown to a T.

He’s the home-run signing LA fans should be praying for.