Bruce Brown will stay a Toronto Raptor for no less than a short time longer.
The workforce introduced that it has picked up its $23 million choice for the guard earlier than Friday’s deadline.
Brown, 27, joined the Raptors in January as a part of the deal that despatched Pascal Siakam to the Indiana Pacers. By way of 34 video games in Toronto, he averaged 9.6 factors, 3.8 rebounds and a pair of.7 assists 55.7 per cent true capturing.
After profitable a championship with the Denver Nuggets in 2023, Brown signed with Indiana within the low season, agreeing to a two-year, $45-million contract.
The second 12 months was a membership choice the Raptors gained management over as soon as the previous Forty second-overall decide arrived in Toronto.
Many believed Brown can be dealt finally February’s commerce deadline, given he’s confirmed to be a serviceable function participant on a title squad. And with Toronto’s timeline hitting the refresh button with their mid-season hearth sale, getting worth out of his team-friendly deal made sense. But no deal occurred and, as an alternative, all eyes turned to Wednesday’s NBA Draft as the subsequent alternative.
With the two-day draft now full, and Brown not having been dealt, the Raptors had till midnight Friday to choose up his choice and re-evaluate, or let him presumably stroll in unrestricted free company.
Toronto opted for the previous.
Whether or not which means the Raptors intention to incorporate the versatile ball-handler of their future plans or it was carried out to afford extra time to work out a commerce, is but to be decided.
In keeping with ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Brown’s $23 million cap hit “possible turns into a part of a commerce this summer time or throughout (the) season.”
The information comes minutes after the workforce made their draft-day commerce with the Sacramento Kings official. Toronto acquired Davion Mitchell, Sasha Vezenkov, the draft rights to Jamal Shead (forty fifth decide) and a 2025 second-round decide through Portland in trade for Jalen McDaniels.
And hours earlier than that, it was reported that the Raptors agreed to a five-year, $175-million extension with restricted free agent Immanuel Quickley, meant to be signed as soon as the low season moratorium is lifted on July 6. The 25-year-old guard was acquired from the New York Knicks in December together with Canadian RJ Barrett in trade for OG Anunoby, Valuable Achiuwa and Malachi Flynn.
