NBA Trade Rumors: Lakers, Knicks Linked to Bruce Brown; Raptors Eye 1st-Rounder, More

The Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks "have been frequently mentioned as likely suitors" for Toronto Raptors wing Bruce Brown, according to NBA insider Marc Stein.

Brown was included in Toronto's return from the Pascal Siakam trade with the Indiana Pacers last week. Stein reported the team might be willing to flip him for "a future first-round pick and a quality player … at a minimum."

Between his spells with the Pacers and Raptors, Brown is averaging 12.0 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 35 games. His three-point shooting (32.1 percent) has dipped a bit compared to the last few years, but his 47.9 overall clip basically matches his career average (48.2).

The 27-year-old is more valuable to the Raptors as a trade asset rather than an on-court contributor.

If Toronto isn't in an outright rebuild, then the organization is at least in a transitional phase that will probably take a few years. Brown has a club option for 2024-25 before he's eligible for free agency in 2025. It's difficult to envision the Raptors meaningfully contending before then, so they may as well explore his trade market.

The versatile 6'4" guard/forward demonstrated last year how valuable he can be for a team with championship aspirations. He averaged 12 points and four rebounds during the Denver Nuggets' NBA Finals run, and his switchability on defense allowed Denver to play smaller lineups and exploit mismatches on the other end of the floor.

Brown has already stated the case for why he'd be a nice fit on the Knicks.

"I am a dog," he said to the New York Post's Jared Schwartz. "I play extremely hard on both ends of the floor. I can do just about whatever [head coach Tom Thibodeau] needs me to do."

His arrival would also help to replenish some of the backcourt depth New York lost by trading both RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley in order to land OG Anunoby.

When it comes to the Lakers, acquiring a three-and-D wing would be a massive help when they're 13th in defensive rating (113.9) and 18th in three-point percentage (36.0), per NBA.com.

Adding Brown alone probably won't significantly improve Los Angeles' championship odds, though. He's simply not that kind of difference-maker.

L.A. might require a wider reshuffle like general manager Rob Pelinka executed ahead of last year's trade deadline, and that's even more difficult to execute now when he has fewer trade chips at his disposal.