5 teams that can match Raptors’ asking price for Bruce Brown

The Toronto Raptors continued to reshape their roster on Wednesday, trading Pascal Siakam to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for Bruce Brown Jr., Jordan Nwora, and three first-round picks. At first glance, it's a win for both sides. Toronto gets a heap of draft capital and future trade assets. The Pacers get a second star that fits perfectly next to Tyrese Haliburton in Rick Carlisle's system.

Now, all eyes are on Toronto as Masai Ujiri finally embraces the next chapter of Raptors basketball. The franchise has entered a transitional period and Ujiri told reporters he is not done making trades. Perhaps the best trade candidate on the roster is the newcomer. Bruce Brown figures to have interested suitors from all corners of the NBA.

Brown was integral to the Denver Nuggets' title run in 2022-23. Over the summer, he signed a two-year, $45 million contract with Indiana. According to NBA insider Shams Charania, the expected price tag on a Brown trade is one first-round pick and the required salary filler.

In 33 games with Indiana prior to the trade, Brown averaged 12.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 3.0 assists on .475/.327/.817 splits in 29.7 minutes. The 27-year-old was "unhappy" with the Pacers, per John Hollinger of The Athletic. He made his Raptors debut on Thursday night, but that doesn't mean he is there to stay.

If Toronto decides to move off Brown's contract, these teams should come knocking.

5. Cavaliers should trade for Bruce Brown

The Cleveland Cavaliers still need another wing defender.

Isaac Okoro can get stops, but his offensive limitations forced J.B. Bickerstaff in a different direction in the playoffs. On the flip side, there's not much defense being played between Caris LeVert and Georges Niang. Max Strus was supposed to be Cleveland's happy medium — a solid positional defender that can also chuck 3s — but he alone isn't changing the Cavs' postseason fortune.

Brown is the perfect plug-and-play wing for the Cavs. At 6-foot-4, Brown has guarded across the positional spectrum at stops in Detroit, Brooklyn, Denver, and Indiana. He's blessed with a 6-foot-9 wingspan and exceptional instincts, often nailing help rotations and causing a ruckus off the ball. Brown can also handle Cleveland's toughest assignments as needed.

The 3-point consistency has been down in 2023-24, but there's reason to believe Brown is due for positive regression. He's a comfortable spot-up shooter with the ancilary skills needed to complement Cleveland's star playmakers. Brown is an active cutter, willing screener, and one of the cleverest short roll passers in the NBA. He can function as a stopgap point guard, a playmaking forward, or a simple floor-spacing wing. His malleability is especially valuable in the playoffs, when schematic needs change on a dime.

Cleveland has the star power to make noise in the East. We probably don't give Cleveland enough credit. But, the 2023 playoffs were proof the team is still missing a piece. A lot of the blame landed on Bickerstaff, and understandably so, but Brown would leave Cleveland's wing rotation in a much better place.