The Los Angeles Lakers are still piecing together a roster fit for title contention around LeBron James and Luka Doncic. While their offseason hasn’t exactly lit up the sky like fireworks, they've quietly made a couple of solid moves.
As of July 4, L.A.’s projected salary for the 2025-26 season sits at $192.6 million—just $3.3 million below the first apron.
That number matters because the Lakers hard-capped themselves there by using the nontaxpayer mid-level exception to sign Jake LaRavia ($5.85 million) and Deandre Ayton ($8.1 million). Now, they can’t go a single dollar over $195.9 million for the entire season.
Luckily, they’ve already filled 14 roster spots. That leaves just one more opening—and a key decision to make. They could ink second-round pick Adou Theiro, or they could take a more win-now route and sign former Rookie of the Year Malcolm Brogdon.
Brogdon’s been on a bit of a tour the past few seasons. After runs with the Celtics, Trail Blazers, and Wizards, he's hunting for his next landing spot. The Lakers should open the door.
Even at 32, with a bit of tread worn off the tires, Brogdon still has plenty to offer. He’s a steady hand, a capable scorer, and a smart decision-maker who knows how to run an offense.
At 6-foot-4, he can toggle between point guard and shooting guard with ease—whether sharing the floor with Doncic or giving him a breather.
Sure, the Lakers have Gabe Vincent, but Brogdon gives them more juice as a creator and a more dependable presence on both ends. He’s not the lockdown defender he used to be, but he still uses his frame and instincts to stay in front of his man and make life tough on opposing guards.
Health is the biggest question mark. Brogdon’s battled injuries the last few seasons, suiting up for fewer than 40 games in each of the last two years. He hasn’t cleared 60 games in a season since his Milwaukee days back in 2019.
But if the Lakers are rolling the dice, this is a good gamble. They’d have to sign him to a veteran minimum deal—worth $3.3 million due to his service time. That conveniently matches the room they have below the first apron. Even better, it would only count $2.3 million against the cap since it's a vet min deal, giving them around $1 million in wiggle room.
Brogdon’s veteran savvy, positional flexibility, and playoff experience would be a huge value add for this Lakers squad. Bonus: he’d be reuniting with Ayton, his former Portland teammate from the 2023-24 season.