Lakers reportedly interested in key contributor for NBA champions

The Los Angeles Lakers are strongly interested in signing versatile Denver Nuggets free agent Bruce Brown, multiple sources tell Mike Singer of The Denver Post (Twitter link). Brown, who is in line for a substantial raise after playing an important role in Denver’s first NBA championship, turned down his $6.8M player option last week.

The Nuggets only hold Non-Bird rights on Brown, which limits them to an offer around $7.8M — a 20 percent raise on what he made last season. L.A. has its full non-taxpayer mid-level exception, which will be approximately $12.4M.

Brown was an ideal addition when Denver picked him up as a free agent last summer. He averaged a career-high 11.5 points per game during the regular season and logged the most minutes of any Nuggets bench player in the postseason.

There are more free agency rumors to pass along:

• The New Oreleans Pelicans have reached an agreement with Garrett Temple to extend the deadline for guaranteeing his $5.4M contract for next season, moving it from Thursday to July 7, according to Andrew Lopez of ESPN (Twitter link). New Orleans is currently $2.8M below the luxury tax and pushing back Temple’s guarantee date provides time for other cost-cutting moves, tweets Bobby Marks of ESPN. Temple only appeared in 25 games last season, averaging 6.5 minutes per night. The Pelicans still face several decisions by Thursday, Lopez notes, as they have to determine whether to pick up team options for Herbert Jones ($1.8M), Naji Marshall ($1.9M) and Willy Hernangomez ($2.6M), along with whether to make a qualifying offer to Jaxson Hayes.
• Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian (Twitter link) is dismissing an internet rumor that Draymond Green traveled to Portland to meet with Damian Lillard about signing with the Trail Blazers. Fentress’s sources say Green is still considered very likely to re-sign with the Golden State Warriors.
• San Antonio Spurs forward Keita Bates-Diop and Brooklyn Nets forward Yuta Watanabe are free agents who might be interested in joining the Phoenix Suns on minimum deals, tweets John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7FM.
• The Philadelphia 76ers aren’t expected to give Louis King a qualifying offer, sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link). The 24-year-old forward, who played in just one NBA game last season, will become an unrestricted free agent.