With the exception of power forward Pascal Siakam, who is currently with the Indiana Pacers, your Los Angeles Lakers have been linked to almost every major NBA player rumoured to be moving this season.
The significant returning current piece that Siakam’s former team acquired in that specific deal, however, has reportedly been targeted by LA team president Rob Pelinka. That would be combo guard Bruce Brown of the Toronto Raptors, who is currently two teams away from the Denver Nuggets of 2022–23, the team that the genuine Swiss army knife earned his first league title with.
The 6’4″ role player is being pursued by another team as the NBA trade deadline, which is fast approaching at 12 p.m. PT tomorrow, draws near.
The 26-26 Utah Jazz, another Western Conference play-in team, surprisingly seemed interested in acquiring Brown as a highly win-now element. According to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, in exchange for Brown’s $22 million salary (Toronto has a $23 million team option on Brown for 2024–25), Danny Ainge and company seem to be offering a package that includes floor-spacing veteran big man Kelly Olynyk and second-year former lottery choice swingman Ochai Agbaji.
Although Agbaji, a recent top draft pick who is still under a rookie scale contract, would be the young asset (a rookie scale contract) that the Raptors are receiving in this hypothetical transaction, rather than a pick, Fischer notes that the Jazz are hoping to receive a first round pick back in a deal, which seems like an odd request for a Toronto team looking to sell.
Thanks to the impressive play of All-Star calibre forward Lauri Markkanen, gifted guards Collin Sexton and Jordan Clarkson, and fascinating young pieces like Agbaji, Walker Kessler, and, oddly, Kris Dunn, Utah is presently the tenth seed in the West, just one spot below the 27–25 Lakers. Attempting to get Brown would suggest that the group wants to strengthen its perimeter defence.
