Toronto Raptors guard Bruce Brown might be on the move at the trade deadline.
The 28-year-old has been rumored to be traded since coming to Toronto last season in the Pascal Siakam trade.
The Raptors were unable to trade him and picked up his $23 million team option this past summer. Now it’s expected the Raptors will once again try and move him.
Recently, Brown’s name was linked to the Los Angeles Lakers as a potential landing spot, per The Athletic’s Jovan Buha:
“Other names that have come up in talks with team and league personnel over the past few weeks include Utah’s Walker Kessler and Collin Sexton, Toronto’s Bruce Brown Jr., Portland’s Jerami Grant and Robert Williams III and Washington’s Kyle Kuzma. The Lakers are not anticipated to be heavily in the mix for Miami’s Jimmy Butler, New Orleans’ Brandon Ingram or Chicago’s Zach LaVine.”
Since Brown’s on a $23 million expiring contract, the Raptors won’t have a clear path to trade him. For the Lakers to acquire him, their offer would likely need to include one of D’Angelo Russell ($18.7M), Rui Hachimura ($17.0M), Gabe Vincent ($11M) or Jarred Vanderbilt ($10.7M). Also, other smaller contracts such as Christian Wood, Cam Reddish, Maxwell Lewis and Jalen-Hood Schifino would have be included to serve as salary fillers to make the trade work.
On top of that the Raptors would likely ask for draft capital from the Lakers as well. The Lakers have already traded away its 2025 and 2027 first-round picks, however they still hold three first-round picks from 2029 to 2031 that could be moved in a deal.
The Raptors were reportedly looking for a first-round pick for Brown at last season’s trade deadline.
Brown should continue to be a hot name on the rumor mill as February approaches.
Jakob Poeltl unlikely to be dealt at trade deadline
While Bruce Brown could be on his way out of Toronto before the trade deadline, it appears Jakob Poeltl isn’t going anywhere.
According to Sportsnet’s Michael Grange, Poeltl is unlikely to be dealt this season.
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