5 teams that can match Raptors’ asking price for Bruce Brown

2. Lakers should trade for Bruce Brown

The Los Angeles Lakers have been connected to Dejounte Murray, Collin Sexton, and Tyus Jones. It's clear Los Angeles wants an upgrade at point guard. D'Angelo Russell has, as we all predicted, overstayed his welcome. Brown doesn't address that specific issue, but he would drastically improve the Lakers' wing depth while offering some ancillary playmaking to supplement (if not completely "back up") LeBron James.

Brown can hit spot 3s, screen and roll, and make quick decisions off the catch. The Lakers are currently sifting through Taurean Prince, Cam Reddish, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Rui Hachimura on the wing. Brown clears... all of them. He would immediately earn a heavy workload for a Los Angeles team desperate to find stable two-way contributors.

Los Angeles was wrecked by Brown in the conference finals, so the front office should be intimately familiar with his game. It would probably require some coaxing on the trade front — Toronto might balk at absorbing long-term contracts, such as Russell or Hachimura — but Los Angeles has the assets to move this deal across the finish line without mortgaging the future. If the Lakers don't feel great about dealing multiple picks or impact players for Dejounte Murray, for example, Brown is a smart alternative.

It has been a trying season for the Lakers. At 21-21, Darvin Ham's squad is barely clinging on to the play-in tournament at this stage. Brown helps quite a bit. He won't solve all the Lakers' woes, but he's a fairly expansive blanket to toss over the fire. He would plug a lot of holes and compete at a high level.