The Toronto Raptors are "very motivated" to deal veteran wing Bruce Brown before the Feb. 6 trade deadline, according to NBA insider Jake Fischer.
Fischer reported Brown's trade value appears to have taken a hit over the last two years.
"There were roughly a dozen teams, sources say, in line to offer Brown the full MLE during free agency in the summer of 2023—fresh off Brown's critical role in helping Denver win the first NBA championship in franchise history," he wrote. "Now rival executives have been waiting to see Brown return to health and peak performance before committing to a trade for him."
Fischer added that the Los Angeles Lakers or Denver Nuggets could pursue Brown should he hit the buyout market.
Brown was a key role player for the Nuggets during their 2023 Finals run. He averaged 12.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 20 postseason games.
Absent trading away Michael Porter Jr., Denver doesn't have many ways to upgrade the supporting cast prior to the deadline. Signing Brown to a cut-rate contract would be a sensible gamble.
On the Lakers, meanwhile, The Athletic's Jovan Buha reported on his Buha's Block podcast in December that they "like" Brown and chased him during the 2023 offseason before he signed with the Indiana Pacers.
The Raptors picked up Brown's $23 million team option for 2024-25 in the obvious hope they could flip him at a later date. Unfortunately for Toronto, the 28-year-old's recovery from right knee surgery in September has limited him to nine appearances so far. He didn't make his season debut until a 136-107 loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Dec. 29.
Between that and his sizable salary, finding a worthwhile trade—or any trade for that matter—might be easier said than done. Interested suitors could try to call the Raptors' bluff and see if he gets bought out.
If push comes to shove, getting off some or most of his outstanding money is worth it when Toronto isn't going anywhere in the present. The team is 10-32 and 14th in the Eastern Conference.
That might be what the Lakers, Nuggets and anybody else is banking on.
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