The Toronto Raptors continue to search for a first-round pick in return for Bruce Brown ahead of the trade deadline.
For weeks now, it’s been reported Toronto is searching for at least a first-round pick in exchange for the 27-year-old wing. That has remained the case as the Feb.8 trade deadline nears, according to Marc Stein’s SubStack. The Raptors are hopeful they can improve their return for Pascal Siakam by turning Brown into a fourth additional first-round pick, Stein wrote.
Toronto already has at least two first-round pick in this year’s draft along with an early second-round pick from the Detroit Pistons and potentially their own first-round pick should it land in the top six. The Raptors have said they don’t want to add three rookies next season and a consolidation trade should be expected. If that’s the case, it’s possible Toronto would prefer to acquire a future first-round pick for Brown not in the 2024 draft. The difficulty is finding a trade partner with a surplus of future picks. The New York Knicks do have extra picks, but they’re one of the few contending teams with extra picks in the coming years.
The Los Angeles Lakers, for example, are said to have interest in Brown but are limited in what first-round picks they can trade and are likely hesitant to deal their distant future first-round picks for Brown considering the age of LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Toronto can still keep Brown through the offseason as he has a team option for $23 million next season. There will be more first-round picks available to be traded this summer and Brown’s value isn’t likely to change too much over the next few months.
Brown is averaging 11.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.8 assists while shooting 46.7% from the floor and 33.1% from three-point range this season.
