It looks like Bruce Brown’s trade market is closing. According to Matt Moore of the Action Network, the Los Angeles Lakers have reportedly abandoned trade negotiations with the Toronto Raptors for Brown in advance of the trade deadline on February 8.
Dejounte Murray is reportedly Los Angeles’ top trade target at the moment. It’s been tough to see a Lakers trade for Brown due to award salary matching options between the two teams. Los Angeles would have to trade at least one of D’Angelo Russell, Rui Hachimura, or Gabe Vincent in order to facilitate a trade. Since Toronto is starting a rebuild, none of those players are clearly tradeable.
Interest from the New York Knicks is said to have cooled too, Moore notes. Although the Knicks are still considering landing the 27-year-old wing, a source told Moore that Brown is more of a fallback option for the team should they fail to acquire a better player. In exchange for Brown, Toronto is reportedly seeking at least a first-round pick, though it is doubtful that a deal of that magnitude will be completed in time for the deadline.
While Brown has also been linked to the Denver Nuggets and Milwaukee Bucks, it is challenging to match his salary with those teams. Neither team has the kind of similarly priced salaries that Toronto would covet in a deal for Brown.
Brown was obtained by the Raptors earlier this month in exchange for Pascal Siakam from the Indiana Pacers. Brown has averaged 10.6 points, 6.1 rebounds, and two assists per game since moving to Toronto. He also shoots 37.5% from three-point range and 46.2% from the field.