It finally happened. If you’re an NBA fan, you’ve been expecting this. The time has come. Pascal Siakam is no longer a member of the Toronto Raptors.
The Raptors traded Siakam to the Indiana Pacers. In return, the Raptors received three first-round picks. Of course, that’s not all that they received – that wouldn’t work financially. The Raptors took some young players back in exchange for Siakam. They also took on Bruce Brown.
This is interesting. The Raptors may not want to be in the lottery for years on end. They may keep Brown. At the same time, there are already rumors suggesting that the Raptors may look to move him ahead of the trade deadline. Here are three teams that we think should take a look at him.
Oklahoma City Thunder
Any team looking to land Brown is going to need a salary that they’re happy to part with. After all, Brown is well compensated. The Thunder meet that criteria. They could flip Davis Bertans for Brown and it would make them a much better team.
The Raptors may be interested in one of the Thunder’s young players as well. Aleksej Pokusevski feels like an obvious candidate. Brown is a good role player, but his value won’t be sky high. Bertans and Pokusevki may be enough to get a deal for Brown done.
If it is, the Thunder should be interested. Brown is a reliable floor spacer who can defend and even offer a bit of playmaking. With that said, the Thunder may not be ready to give up on Pokusevki. Is there another team with a convenient contract who could be looking to make an upgrade?
New York Knicks
Yes, we’re talking about Evan Fournier. His deal nearly matches Brown’s, and he’s on an expiring contract. The Raptors should be happy to add his cap relief ahead of the offseason.
With that said, that deal doesn’t work straight-up. Could the Knicks include Quentin Grimes in a package for Brown? It’s rumored that they’re looking to move on from him before his extension is due. Brown would be a win-now upgrade for a team that’s looking to make a deep playoff run.
Will the Raptors want to pay Grimes? That’s a different question. It’s possible that they could have gotten him in the O.G. Anunoby deal and passed. In that event, they’ll need to look for another team to move Brown.
Cleveland Cavaliers
Unlike the rest of these teams, there’s no clear path for the Cavaliers to acquire Brown. He’s a good fit with this roster, but who would the Cavs move to land him? It’s long been rumored that they’re looking to move Jarrett Allen, but in all likelihood, the rebuilding Raptors won’t be interested in him.
That’s fine – somebody will want Allen. This feels like a potential three-team deal. The Cavaliers could flip Allen for Brown, and in all likelihood, they could get some draft capital back in the process. Allen should have more value than Brown on the open market.
As for the Raptors, they’d be seeking a third team with some young players or draft capital to spare. This deal could get complicated, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t feasible. Either way, the Raptors have already made the biggest deal that they’ll make this season.
