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Knicks have ‘internal interest’ in Bruce Brown trade after Raptors move

Originally posted on ClutchPoints | By Jedd Pagaduan | Last updated 1/18/24

It’s an end of an era for the Toronto Raptors. On Wednesday, the Raptors traded away the final core piece of their championship-winning 2019 team in Pascal Siakam, sending him to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for Bruce Brown, Jordan Nwora, and three first-round picks. This signals the Raptors’ full-on commitment to a rebuild, which means that Brown may not last for long with the franchise. Enter the New York Knicks.

The Knicks reportedly have “internal interest” in yet another trade with the Raptors, this time for Brown, the combo guard/forward who helped the Denver Nuggets win the 2023 NBA championship, according to Ian Begley of SNY.

“I was told there is some internal interest in going after Bruce Brown from the Knicks as far as a trade candidate here,” Begley said. “Obviously, the Knicks had strong interest in Brown as a free agent. The Knicks were actually his first meeting. Now, Brown going to Toronto, he might be available. There are some people with the Knicks that would love to bring him on ahead of the trade deadline.”

"I was told there is some internal interest in going after Bruce Brown from the Knicks as far as a trade candidate here"

On @Honda SportsNite, @IanBegley joins @emacSNY to discuss the Knicks' win over the Rockets & looking ahead to the trade deadline https://t.co/LF4BuA4H9D pic.twitter.com/LwywoaHiFS

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) January 18, 2024

After trading away Immanuel Quickley, there is certainly room for the Knicks to add some backcourt depth, especially with Jalen Brunson dealing with minor injury woes that have kept him out in recent days. (Brunson was able to return on Wednesday night, dropping 30 against the Houston Rockets in a 109-94 win.)

Bruce Brown is not a natural point guard, but as he displayed with the Nuggets and with the Pacers, he has some playmaking chops as his feel for the game allows him to keep the ball moving, exchanging good looks for great shots. The 27-year-old fills in plenty of gaps as well, as he’s able to provide scoring punch when needed while being a solid contributor on the boards and on defense.

Salary matching should not be an issue for the Knicks should they pursue a trade for Brown. They still have Evan Fournier’s contract on the books, and his contract alone is enough to bring Brown on board. The Raptors will want some form of draft compensation, but acquiring Brown should not cost the Knicks a pretty penny.

This article first appeared on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

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