To no surprise, the Toronto Raptors picked up Bruce Brown’s $23 million team option with a trade on the horizon.
After coming off a pay day last offseason from the Indiana Pacers, Brown solidified himself as a championship role player. However, he was moved in the Pascal Siakam deal, putting into question what is next for him.
With Toronto embracing a rebuild around Scottie Barnes, Brown does not necessarily fit this timeline at 27-years-old.
There is plenty of time to try and find a new home for the one-time NBA champion as free agency kicked off on June 30. Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reports that Brown’s market is relatively quiet, but the Milwaukee Bucks seem to be interested:
“Bruce definitely expects to be traded without a doubt. And there’s teams I think we’ve known that we’ve reported that are still kinda looking at him. Like one team Milwaukee [Bucks], that definitely had them on their list…there was a thing possible I believe that could’ve been a sign-and-trade with Patrick Williams if he did not leave Chicago. Outside of that it’s been quiet.”
That is the potential downside to Brown making $23 million, it is a considerable contract to match salaries for and then whoever trades for him has to come to terms on a new deal.
But, at some point there will be a team that comes along to bring him in to pursuit a championship. It is worth noting that the Raptors have been firm on getting a first-round pick in return for Brown.
Ultimately, it comes down to if there is a bidding war for Brown because if there is a limited market, a first-round pick may not be coming Toronto’s way.
Bruce Brown’s stats since being traded to Toronto
Another caveat to Brown’s market is him having a poor shooting season from three, something that made him vital to winning a championship with the Denver Nuggets.
Nonetheless, in 34 games with the Raptors, Brown averaged just 9.6 points, 2.7 assists and 3.8 rebounds on 48.1 percent shooting from the field and 31.7 percent shooting from three-point range.
Have you subscribed to the Raptors Nation YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!
