When an NBA team acquires a player, it doesn’t always mean they want to keep him. Sometimes, it’s a matter of convenience. That player may have been necessary to make the deal work.
We saw this during the summer. The Portland Trail Blazers acquired Jrue Holiday in their return for Damian Lillard. The plan wasn’t to keep Holiday – it was to trade him. They’d ultimately reroute Holiday to the Boston Celtics.
Recently, we saw another blockbuster trade. The Toronto Raptors sent Pascal Siakam to the Indiana Pacers. In return, they received Bruce Brown. It feels possible that Brown was only in the trade to make the money work.
Could the Raptors send him to the New York Knicks?
NBA Trade Proposal: New York Knicks Land Toronto Raptors’ Bruce Brown
Toronto Raptors Receive: G/F Evan Fournier, G/F Quentin Grimes
New York Knicks Receive: G/F Bruce Brown
That said, we shouldn’t make assumptions about a team’s intentions. We don’t always know what they’re planning. A particular move may feel like the obvious choice to fans, but the front office could have different ideas.
Fans may think that they want their team to tank. Once the tanking begins, they tend to feel differently. Front offices are well aware of that fact. They may be apprehensive about committing to multiple losing seasons for fear of declining fan interest.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Bruce Brown, Toronto Raptors, New York Knicks Updates
What will the Raptors do? This team has a solid young core in place. Perhaps they’d rather stay competitive. Should they send a quality role player to the Knicks?
Why The Toronto Raptors Do The Deal
Sure. For starters, the Raptors are getting a quality role player in return here as well. He happens to be much younger than Brown. Quentin Grimes would be a sensible addition to this young roster.
The Raptors would be reuniting him with Knicks teammate Immanuel Quickley. It seemed that the Knicks didn’t want to pay either of their upcoming extensions. That’s fine. The Raptors have cap room to spare – they shouldn’t hesitate to commit to two quality young players who fit alongside Scottie Barnes.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Bruce Brown, Toronto Raptors, New York Knicks Updates
Moreover, this deal clears some more cap space for them. Fournier is on an expiring contract. If the Raptors can flip Brown for a good young player and some cap relief, they should do it. Should the Knicks do this deal?
Why The New York Knicks Do The Deal
This wouldn’t be the first deal that these two sides made this year. Again – the Knicks sent Quickley to Toronto. They received O.G. Anunoby in return. Realistically, this deal would have a similar structure. It’s got the Knicks moving a young player before his extension for a higher-impact veteran.
Make no mistake – Brown is still the best player in this deal. He’s a good 3-and-D wing, but he’s also more than that. Brown can run the pick-and-roll in spots – on both sides. He’s a capable ball handler, and we’ve seen him as the roll man in inverted sets on occasion.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Bruce Brown, Toronto Raptors, New York Knicks Updates
In other words, this is a well-rounded player who contributes in several ways. He’ll make any team better, and that includes the Knicks. If they make a trade for Brown, in all likelihood, they’ll be happy to keep him.
