The NBA offseason is almost here. that means we will see player movement around the league. One of the names that could be on the move is Bruce Brown Jr. The Raptors have until midnight tomorrow whether they want to accept his team option or decline it which will make him a free agent.
The best option is to accept Brown’s team option, trade him, and get as many assets as possible. Since it looks like Brown won’t be in a Raptors uniform for the 2024-25 season, I thought of three teams that can trade for him.
One trade that the Raptors should consider is Brown to the Detroit Pistons for Evan Fournier and a 2026 lottery-protected first-round pick. The Pistons get a good role player to help them get into the postseason while Toronto gets financial flexibility with this trade. Fournier does not fit in Toronto long-term and doesn’t have great trade value.
Since Fournier has a team option, the Raptors can decline it thus making him a free agent in the summer. This move will create cap space for Toronto. The Raptors use the cap space to re-sign Gary Trent Jr. or add depth to the roster.
Another trade that Toronto could do is trade Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers for a 2026 lottery-protected first-round pick. If the 76ers couldn’t sign the key free agents this offseason, they can trade for Brown instead.
Brown fits with Philadelphia pretty well. He can help them contend in the eastern conference. Another reason this is a good trade for the 76ers is because they would still cap space to spend next summer. This keeps them flexible roster-wise and financial-wise.
The final trade that the Raptors could do is trade Brown to the Sacramento Kings for Chris Durate, Trey Lyles, a 2025 second-round pick. Even though Toronto will save money with this trade, this is not just a financial saving trade.
The Raptors get two players in their depth. They also add a little bit of size with Lyles on the roster. As a bonus, Lyles is a Canadian. He’ll be the fourth Canadian on this team fifth if you count Durate as a Canadian since his father was from there.
The Kings get a veteran to help them contend in the Western Conference. He can play any position from point to power forward. This gives Sacramento some versatility. Brown is also a three-and-D guy. He can defend and shoot.
Brown is a good player but doesn’t fit the Raptors’ timeline. He’s a player who should be helping a team go deep in the playoffs. The Raptors are not there yet. So, it makes sense for Toronto to trade Brown and get assets in return.
