After putting their heads together, the Indiana Pacers and Toronto Raptors created a deal structure that ultimately resulted in Pascal Siakam moving to the Midwest. The largest veteran player moving to Toronto as a result of this agreement is Bruce Brown.
Following a successful season as a vital supporting member of the NBA champion Denver Nuggets, Brown inked a two-year contract worth $22 million, with an additional $23 million club option for the 2024–2025 campaign. He has succeeded in demonstrating that he is not a product of Nikola Jokic.
Toronto needed to add a veteran in addition to the remaining windfall, with one of the two Browns emerging as a vital component to make the money equal. But if the Raptors wish to continue focusing on the youth movement, Brown might be on the move once more.
Whatever happens with the rest of the team, Toronto would have to determine if it makes more sense to bring in a veteran like Brown to the rotation or to hold him out until a stronger team approaches and then trade him for even more assets in the future.
In 2024, might Bruce Brown be acquired by the Toronto Raptors and retained?
This season, Brown’s averages per game are 12.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 3.0 assists. For the fourth consecutive season, Brown is making at least 47% of his field goals overall, having made 35% of his 3-pointers on slightly higher volume in the previous two seasons.
There are obvious drawbacks to Brown. It’s rather costly to pay $23 million for a man who will probably be a fifth- or sixth-scoring option. Trading Brown for picks and younger players could seem like a much better idea than letting a veteran take up this much cap space, especially with Toronto in the midst of a rebuild.
If he stays, Brown might prove to be a very useful addition. Brown is a strong defender who can play four spots and fits Masai Ujiri’s preferred style perfectly. With his previous championship experience and ability to score well without controlling the ball, Brown might stabilize Toronto’s youthful core.
If Ujiri wants to lower the average age of the roster a few notches, he may seek out other possibilities. Brown is the kind of player that Toronto would have loved to have when they were at the top of their game. Given Brown’s near-equal worth as a rotation player and trade piece, this might be a no-lose scenario.
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