Report: Bruce Brown, Terry Rozier emerge as new Lakers trade targets

As the Denver Nuggets, the reigning NBA champions, proved last year, Bruce Brown could be the missing piece that pushes a team over the top. 

With the Toronto Raptors reportedly making Brown available ahead of the Feb. 8 trade deadline, contending teams around the league are scrambling to scoop him just in time for the playoffs. 

The Los Angeles Lakers are among the teams trying to add Brown, according to NBA insider Shams Charania. On Monday’s edition of "Run it Back" on FanDuel TV, Charania revealed the four players that the Lakers are targeting ahead of the trade deadline. 

"The Lakers are doing their due diligence,” Charania said. “Dejounte Murray, Bruce Brown Jr., Tyus Jones [and] Terry Rozier. Those are the names I’m told to keep an eye on.” 

According to Marc Stein, the Raptors are seeking a first-round pick and a "quality player" in exchange for Brown. The Lakers can currently offer either their 2029 or 2030 first-round pick.

As for Murray, Charania noted that the Lakers and Hawks had "pretty extensive conversations" recently about a trade involving the All-Star guard, who's averaging 21.1 points, 4.9 rebounds and 5.0 assists this season. The talks apparently stalled after Atlanta failed to find a third team to take on Russell’s contract. 

“The trade was centered around D’Angelo Russell, a 2029 first-round pick and a pick swap,” Charania added. 

Charania expects the Lakers and Hawks to "circle back" and resume trade talks imminently. To Russell’s credit, the former No. 2 overall pick is amid a splendid run since being reinserted into the Lakers’ starting lineup, averaging 27.2 points and 6.4 assists over the last five games.

Besides Brown and Murray, Rozier and Jones could also prove to be vital additions to the ninth-seeded Lakers (22-22). While Rozier is averaging a career-high 23.6 points for the Hornets, Jones is shooting a career-high 42.1 percent from the three-point arc for the Wizards.