3 best landing spots for Bruce Brown after 'signs point to' Raptors trading him ASAP

Four months ago, the Toronto Raptors acquired Bruce Brown as part of the blockbuster trade that sent two-time All-NBA forward Pascal Siakam to the Indiana Pacers. Now, it is only a matter of time before the versatile two-way wing suits up for his third team in less than a calendar year.

On Friday, Doug Smith of the Toronto Star reported that the Raptors are "likely" to pick up Brown's $23 million team option for the 2024-25 campaign, only to trade him "quickly rather than wait until the 2025 trade deadline" and have a target date of "right around the NBA Draft" starting on June 26.

Brown never looked comfortable in 34 games with Toronto, averaging 9.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game while shooting a lowly 31.7 percent from beyond the arc. However, he has proven he could be a critical contributor to a contending team, as evidenced by his role on the Denver Nuggets during their 2023 championship run.

With a bloated salary and an expiring contract, Brown must either land with a team interested in signing him to an extension, looking for cap relief for the following offseason or that is willing to take him on as a one-year rental. Here are three of the best possible destinations based on the criteria provided.

3 best landing spots for Bruce Brown in light of trade rumors

3. San Antonio Spurs

Unanimous Rookie of the Year and otherworldly extraterrestrial phenom Victor Wembanyama was recruiting players to the San Antonio Spurs without trying in his first year in the NBA, drawing the attention of the entire basketball world with his remarkable play and a sense of maturity/moxie beyond his years.

Wembyanma was so incredible that there is a growing sentiment that people believe the franchise should waste no time trying to build a competitive roster around him (myself included), prompting trade rumors surrounding Atlanta Hawks All-Star point guard Trae Young, which the team has reportedly shown "little interest" in doing.

While Brown may not be near the caliber of player Young is, he is undoubtedly a winning piece that the Spurs could benefit from adding to their rotation, and he wouldn't cost much to acquire as a player on an expiring deal whose current team has no intentions of re-signing him. 

San Antonio has enough cap space to absorb Brown's contract without needing to match the outgoing salary, meaning they can attach what would likely be light draft capital to a player like Devonte' Graham, who is also entering the final year of his contract but barely played for the Spurs last season (13.6 minutes per game in 23 contests), to add someone who would at the worst operate as an immediate upgrade and rental with upside for more should they want to pay him.

2. Los Angeles Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers were named as a possible destination for Brown ahead of the 2024 trade deadline when the Raptors entertained offers before ultimately electing to hold onto him. Could we see the two sides make it happen this offseason?

Toronto was reportedly one of the teams in trade talks for Lakers combo guard D'Angelo Russell leading up to the deadline. Perhaps a deal involving Brown was in the cards. But Los Angeles has a less-than-ideal payroll situation, meaning they would need to find a way to bridge the slight financial gap.

Russell has an $18.69 million player option for 2024-25 that he is likely to opt out of and test the open market in search of a long-term contract, whether from the Lakers or someone else. Considering how well he played, he may have priced himself out of their range. But Los Angeles has until June 29 to convince him to exercise his option to allow the franchise to facilitate a sign-and-trade should they not agree on a new pact. 

While Russell owes no favors to a Lakers organization that has relentlessly dangled him in trade talks over the last couple of seasons, there is a scenario where he serves as part of a swap with the Raptors, who could then extend the one-time All-Star should they choose to based on their initial interest in him dating back to a few months ago.

1. Philadelphia 76ers

The Philadelphia 76ers are essentially entering the offseason as a blank canvas aside from their All-Star tandem of Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, which is a solid problem to have.

With so many pending free agents, the Sixers have nearly $60 million in cap space. Moreover, they have five tradable first-round picks at their disposal. So, it is likely Philadelphia president of basketball operations Daryl Morey is hard at work this summer trying to find complimentary pieces to pair with Embiid and Maxey -- and Brown fits the bill.

Philly's connection to All-Stars like Paul George, Jimmy Butler and Mikal Bridges (should they become available) suggests they are looking for help on the wing. While all those options are unlikely, Brown can fill the position, albeit to a lesser degree.

Adding a proven commodity like Brown, who would fit nicely alongside Embiid and Maxey as someone who can impact the game without having the ball in his hands, would serve the team well regardless of the number of open roster spots. 

Whether or not the Sixers pursue Brown will probably depend on their confidence level to successfully recruit one of the star players they have eyes on. But he could be an under-the-radar pickup.