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

3. 76ers should trade for Bruce Brown

The Philadelphia 76ers are loaded with expiring contracts, primed for this exact opportunity. While Daryl Morey isn't expected to splurge on the fringe All-Stars currently circulating the market, Philadelphia's offseason cap space means next to nothing if there aren't quality free agents available. Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey are playing the best basketball of their careers. If not now, when?

Brown is the perfect compromise for the Sixers' front office. He is easily aggregated into an important offseason trade, if need be. In the short term, he's the right connective wing to elevate Philadelphia's second unit to the next level. Nic Batum and Kelly Oubre Jr. have been excellent, but the Sixers are still giving serious minutes to Marcus Morris Sr. and Patrick Beverley. At a certain point, Daryl Morey would be willfully tying the Sixers' hands with a silent trade deadline.

The Sixers can use Brown in various spots — as the de facto backup ball-handler when Tyrese Maxey sits, or as a spacer off of Joel Embiid. Brown shouldn't operate strictly as a point guard, but he's a competent ball-handler and high-I.Q. decision-maker that can provide a little extra variety beyond Beverley and Tobias Harris. The majority of the Sixers' offense runs through Embiid or Maxey at all times, but Brown's ability to drive the lane, locate open shooters, and promote ball movement would be a nice boon.

There is also the added benefit of adding a beloved Nuggets role player to Joel Embiid's team, which would promote a particularly unsavory strain of discourse on NBA Twitter. Why else do teams make trades? But, on a serious note, Brown would meaningfully improve the Sixers' already-strong supporting cast. He's not the star a lot of fans want, but he fits perfectly in Nick Nurse's scheme on both ends of the floor.