Former NBA champion could be on the move

With the Feb. 6 trade deadline fast approaching, multiple teams around the NBA are looking for ways to reshape their rosters. Bad teams are trying to shed their impactful players in search of a lottery pick, and peripheral contenders want to bolster their ranks. 

The Toronto Raptors fall into the category of a rebuilding team looking to create flexibility. Toronto would benefit from being a lottery team this season, and would certainly like to have some financial flexibility heading into the trade deadline. As such, Bruce Brown is expected to be available via trade.

Brown, 28, joined the Indiana Pacers during the summer of 2023, shortly after helping the Denver Nuggets secure a championship. He was then redirected to the Raptors as part of the Pascal Siakam deal, primarily for salary matching. As such, Brown doesn't fit with the Raptors' long-term vision or within their short-term plan. 

Instead, his expiring $23 million contract is seen as a valuable trade tool heading into the deadline. 

"The Raptors are very motivated to move Brown and his $23 million salary, sources said, in hopes of growing the return from trading Pascal Siakam to Indiana on Jan. 17, 2024," The Stein Line's Jake Fischer reported on Monday. "Brown arrived in Toronto as the largest salary component from that deal, alongside three future first-round picks, to land Siakam with the Pacers. There were roughly a dozen teams, sources say, in line to offer Brown the full MLE during free agency in the summer of 2023...Now rival executives have been waiting to see Brown return to health and peak performance before committing to a trade for him."

Brown is the type of role player who can elevate a contender. He's multi-talented and can provide versatility off the bench. During the Nuggets' championship run, head coach Michael Malone used him as a lob threat, roll man and dunker spot weapon, using the curveball Brown's 6-foot-4 size would throw at opposing frontcourts.

Other teams will know what Brown brings to the table. Furthermore, his expiring contract could be desirable for a team looking to make a big push this season without committing to a long-term salary. It would also allow a contender to get a closer look at Brown before committing to a bigger deal.

No matter what happens, Brown should likely spend the next few weeks sitting by the phone. His contract is ideal for matching salaries in a trade, especially if the Raptors work as a third-team facilitator. The Raptors likely viewed Brown as a potential trade chip when they acquired him last season, so it makes sense that they would try to maximize their return for Siakam. 

Whether another team is willing to absorb his contract or a three-team deal materializes will remain to be seen. For now, though, it would be a disappointing turn of events for Toronto if Brown sees out the remainder of his contract with the franchise.