The Toronto Raptors could get very busy soon.
They are reportedly motivated to help facilitate transactions before the Feb. 6 trade deadline, per NBA insider Jake Fischer.
The Raptors have valuable expiring contracts, including Bruce Brown’s 23 million that they could use as part of a larger trade.
The Miami Heat could be on the verge of striking a Jimmy Butler trade, so the Raptors would be useful as a facilitator in a multi-team deal. According to Fischer, Brown is someone who the Heat have interest in acquiring:
“The Toronto Raptors have convinced numerous front offices that they are motivated to help facilitate transactions before the trade buzzer sounds. ‘They want to get involved in any Jimmy Butler trade,’ one general manager told The Stein Line. Such efforts would almost certainly start with Bruce Brown, whose $23 million expiring salary could be a key ingredient in triangulating a multi-team Butler deal. Brown is a former Miami Hurricanes star who the Heat, according to league sources, have indeed registered interest in acquiring.”
There’s value in the Raptors wanting to get involved in a Butler trade. Not only can they offload some expiring contracts, but they would be rewarded for their efforts in terms of landing valuable draft capital.
The Phoenix Suns have been linked to Butler the most leading up to the trade deadline, so perhaps the Raptors could help get Butler there.
The Raptors are in a rebuild so it’s no surprise they are looking to be sellers at the deadline. With how hard it is now to execute single-team trades, this might be the Raptors’ big opportunity to cash in at the deadline.
NBA insider outlines obstacle preventing Raptors from trading Bruce Brown
If the Raptors don’t get involved in a larger transaction, it will be tough for them to move Bruce Brown in a deal because of other teams’ lack of flexibility.
Jake Fischer recently talked about the obstacle that could stand in the Raptors way when trying to move the 28-year-old.
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