The Toronto Raptors earlier this week finally dealt forward Pasal Siakam, sending him to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for Bruce Brown Jr., Jordan Nwora, and three first-round picks.
With the Raptors hosting the Chicago Bulls on Thursday night, the question becomes: Will Bruce Brown make his Toronto debut?
Bruce Brown's status vs. Bulls after trade to Raptors
Brown isn't listed on the Raptors' injury report. Less than two hours before tipoff for Toronto's matchup with Chicago, Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports reported that Brown, Jordan Nwora and Kira Lewis Jr. have passed their physicals and are “expected to be available” to play in Thursday's game.
The deal was a great trade for the Pacers, but it is also an excellent haul for the Raptors. Siakam was going to be a free agent in the summer and could've left the team for nothing or hamstrung Scottie Barnes' development while eating up a huge chunk of the salary cap.
Instead, they gained three future first-round picks and a quality player in Brown, who the Raptors can flip again if they so choose. Like Siakam, Brown is effectively on the last season of his contract. Though there is another year on his deal, it is a team option for $23 million.
It would seem more likely than not that the Raptors, or whatever team Brown is on, would decline that team option and use that cap space elsewhere and/or re-sign Brown to a longer-term deal with less money owed to him next season. But if the Raps are rebuilding, which it appears that they are, then getting more draft picks for Brown would make a lot of sense.
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