Raptors wing Bruce Brown admits he was caught off guard when Indiana dealt him to Toronto last January, just six months after signing him to a $45MM contract in free agency. But he’s better prepared this time around for the uncertainty of trade season, as Doug Smith of The Toronto Star relays.
“I’ve been in this situation the last two years, so if (a trade) happens, it does; if it doesn’t, I’m happy to be here,” Brown said. “It’s a business, (the talk is) going to happen. I was completely shocked last year when I got traded, so this year it’s whatever.”
Brown, who played a key role on the Denver team that won a title in 2023, is still adjusting to a new role in Toronto. That, along with the fact that he has a $23MM cap hit and spent most of the first half of the season recovering from offseason knee surgery, will limit his value. For now, he’s focused on figuring out how he can best help the Raptors, Smith writes.
“You gotta understand, in Denver I was the backup point guard. I had the ball in my hands, making plays with older players on the team,” Brown said. “Then I get to Indy, still kind of on-ball when Tyrese (Haliburton) was out. I had big 30-point games and the ball in my hands to make plays.
“Then I come here and IQ (Immanuel Quickley) is going to have the ball, Scottie (Barnes) is going to have the ball, RJ (Barrett) is gonna have the ball, we’re gonna run plays for Gradey (Dick). Just trying to pick my spots when I can score, when I can’t and, really, just get the ball off misses and try to push in transition. I think I can be a more effective transition scorer.”
Here’s more from around the Atlantic:
- Like Brown, veteran center Kelly Olynyk is still working to get fully comfortable in his role with the Raptors after joining the team midway through last season and battling various injuries since then. And like Brown, he’s aware that his name has popped up in trade rumors ahead of the Feb. 6 deadline. “Now 12 years in this, I’ve been traded three times. If it happens, it happens,” Olynyk said, per Smith. “If not, your feet are where you are, and you’re going to do your best to contribute to winning in that organization.”
- Oshae Brissett was in camp with Team Canada under Jordi Fernandez last summer and the Nets‘ head coach is happy to have the veteran wing joining Brooklyn’s G League affiliate, he told Brian Lewis of The New York Post. “Young, good size, motor. He can play multiple positions defensively. (He’s) switchable, great rebounder,” Fernandez said of Brissett. “In the NBA the thing is that his shooting went a little bit up and down. He had one very good season shooting the three, and then went a little down. But definitely I have no doubt in my mind that he has a place in this league, and I really enjoyed my time with him.”
- If the Sixers, who have lost six straight games, hope to snap their losing streak on Tuesday in Denver, they’ll have to do so with a depleted roster. As Vinny Benedetto of The Denver Gazette tweets, Philadelphia has already ruled out five players, including superstar center Joel Embiid, and has Paul George (left groin soreness), Andre Drummond (left toe injury recovery), and Guerschon Yabusele (right knee contusion) listed as questionable. Kyle Lowry and Caleb Martin, both of whom have right hip sprains, are missing their ninth and sixth consecutive games, respectively.
Philly what a dumpster fire. They still have a shot at the playing. Cleveland may have their hands full.
Oh yeah, I’m sure Cleveland is terrified.
The Sixers owe their 2025 first-round pick to the Thunder if it falls outside the top six,
76ers tank thought – if 76ers lose one more game after tonight.
If 76ers get the sixth spot, the chances of them keeping their pick would be 66%, and the odds of getting a top-four pick would be 37.2%.
That’s not true. If they’re 6th last in the league their chances of keeping that pick are 45.8% so a bit less than a coin flip, but def not 66%.
Sixers need to work out a deal with OKC. Can they deal someone like Yabu and a couple SRPs for their FRP back.
It is going to be hard to tank from here… they went on too good of a run before this drought.
I would shut Joel down, I would explore trading the fringe guys for anything, SRP 7 years from now would be fine.
You are kind of stuck with PG for at least another season or two. Unless you can pull of some 3-4 team deal that lands you like LaVine? Not a ton of options here.
I don’t think anyone thought that PG was going to look worse than Tobias. But they are for sure trying to tank. And they need to. This season was over in the first 10 games.
The first thing the sixers should do is fire Morey…dude has been a joke in Philly
Just philly?