NBA rumors: Jazz talking Bruce Brown trade with Raptors at deadline

The Jazz have emerged as a dark-horse trade destination for Raptors guard Bruce Brown with hours to go before the deadline.

It never looked like Bruce Brown was going to be staying long with the Toronto Raptors franchise in the aftermath of landing in the North as the main salary centerpiece in the trade that brought Pascal Siakam to the Indiana Pacers. Brown, according to the rumor mill, has drawn plenty of interest on the market from the moment he became a Raptors player, and with the trade deadline approaching, teams, including the Utah Jazz, are now making their final push in negotiations.

According to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, the Raptors and Jazz have been discussing a framework of a trade that would sent Brown to Salt Lake City for a package centered around versatile big man Kelly Olynyk and second-year wing Ochai Agbaji. It seems like the sticking point in negotiations is the amount of draft capital the Jazz are willing to give up, with the Raptors remaining adamant that they want a first-round pick in any Brown trade.

The Jazz's interest in Bruce Brown is certainly interesting. One would think that, as the 10th-best team in the Western Conference as of the current standings, they'll be more inclined to sell off their veteran pieces, including Olynyk, Jordan Clarkson, and John Collins. Acquiring Brown signals more of a win-now approach, and with the players they're rumored to be giving up, they're only serving to make an already-crowded backcourt rotation that much more congested.

At present, the Jazz have been relying on the likes of Clarkson, Collin Sexton, Keyonte George, and Kris Dunn to fill the majority of guard minutes. Brown can certainly slide up a position and play the three (even the four in spurts), but one would wonder whether this is the best use of resources for a middling Jazz team.

Even then, adding Bruce Brown is never a bad idea. Brown typifies winning basketball, and the Jazz, under Will Hardy's tutelage, have been more competitive than expected. Brown is not a piece that will take the Jazz over the top, but he sure will help them solidify their spot as a play-in team. Nevertheless, it all depends on the Raptors' trade asking price and whether that makes sense for Utah.