Knicks reportedly expected to pursue Bruce Brown after Raptors-Pacers trade
As historically great as Nikola Jokic was in last year’s NBA Playoffs, the Denver Nuggets don’t win the championship without Bruce Brown. This is something that Jokic himself conceded, when he joked about being “mad” at Brown for choosing money – money that the Indiana Pacers could offer – over the prospect of winning more rings in Denver.
As such, any contending team could inch a step closer to a title with the mere acquisition of Brown, who was shipped to the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday as part of the Pascal Siakam trade. With the Raptors (16-25) nowhere close to contention, the expectation around the league is for Brown to be traded once again – most likely to a team firmly in the playoff picture.
According to Ian Bagley of SNY, the New York Knicks (24-17) are expected to pursue Brown ahead of the Feb. 8 NBA trade deadline.
“In the wake of Bruce Brown getting sent to Toronto for Pascal Siakam, I was told that there’s some internal interest in going after Bruce Brown,” Bagley said on the SNY broadcast.
Bagley further noted that Knicks had a “strong interest” in Brown during last year’s free agency period. In fact, the Knicks were apparently Brown’s first meeting before he wound up in Indiana.
The Knicks already made a splash by acquiring OG Anunoby last month. Since adding the defensive ace, the team in the Big Apple has maintained an impressive 9-2 record, sitting just three games behind the third-seeded Philadelphia 76ers.
Knicks could potentially trade Evan Fournier, Malachi Flynn and a first-round pick to Pacers to acquire Brown, who’s owed 22 million this season. It could be a low-risk, high-reward move for the Knicks considering that there’s a Team Option on the last year of Brown’s contract.
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