Two key Toronto Raptors players might be packing their bags soon, as the team looks to make moves before the February 6 trade deadline. Bruce Brown and Chris Boucher are both drawing interest from around the league.
Brown’s name is coming up the most in trade talks, according to NBA insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer. The Raptors have also been giving Boucher extra playing time lately, likely trying to show him off to potential buyers.
It’s been a tough season for Brown since joining the Raptors in the Pascal Siakam trade. The 28-year-old guard didn’t even hit the court until December, thanks to knee surgery that kept him sidelined.
He’s really struggled to find his groove, putting up just 6 points per game in limited minutes.
That’s a pretty big drop from last year, when he was riding high with the NBA champion Denver Nuggets. Back then, he was playing the best basketball of his career – averaging 11.5 points and making about 36% of his three-pointers.
The timing’s interesting because Brown’s $45 million contract runs out after this season. The Raptors definitely don’t want to lose him for nothing in free agency.
Chris Boucher’s been a different story. The 32-year-old forward is actually having his best season in a while, averaging 10.5 points and shooting a career-best 36.2% from three-point range.
He showed what he can do back in November, dropping 24 points against Sacramento in one of his best games this year.
Both players could be valuable pieces for playoff teams looking to add depth. Brown’s championship experience with Denver might be especially attractive to contenders.
The Raptors are sitting at 10-31, near the bottom of the Eastern Conference. With the team clearly rebuilding, they’re likely looking to turn these veterans into draft picks or young talent that could help down the road.
