According to NBA insider Doug Smith of The Toronto Star, the Toronto Raptors plan to trade Bruce Brown this summer.
Brown has a club option worth $23 million for next season.
“The sense from a handful of league sources is that the Raptors are likely to pick up the option, then turn around and deal Brown quickly rather than wait until the 2025 trade deadline,” Smith wrote. “It means that team president Masai Ujiri and general manager Bobby Webster are seriously looking for landing places, possible returns and a quick resolution to one of the big questions to be answered in the off-season.”
The Raptors acquired Brown from the Indiana Pacers in the blockbuster Pascal Siakam trade. Brown appeared in 34 games with Toronto. He averaged 9.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 0.7 steals and 0.3 blocks.
Brown helped the Denver Nuggets win the 2023 NBA championship over the Miami Heat. The Miami product finished this season with averages of 10.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.3 blocks in 67 games with the Pacers and Raptors while shooting 47.8% from the field, 32.3% from beyond the arc and 82.4% from the free-throw line.
The Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks, Utah Jazz and Milwaukee Bucks were linked to Brown at the 2024 NBA trade deadline. It will be fascinating to see where the Raptors trade Brown this summer.
A Boston native, Brown has career averages of 8.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.5 blocks with the Detroit Pistons, Brooklyn Nets, Nuggets, Pacers and Raptors. He turns 28 in August.
The Raptors are building around Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley. Toronto acquired Barrett and Quickley from New York in the OG Anunoby trade.
The Raptors went 25-57 this season. They were 21st in the NBA in points per game, 25th in points per game allowed and 25th in net rating.
It will likely be a while before Toronto makes the playoffs again.
