The NBA trade deadline is less than a week away, and one team that is expected to be selling off some spare parts is the Toronto Raptors. With just a 15-32 record, the Raptors are the No. 12 seed in the Eastern Conference, so recouping some assets for players who aren't a part of their future plans could make sense for them.

One guy who is a trade candidate is Bruce Brown, but even if he doesn't get dealt, Toronto could buyout his contract, which would set the stage for the Denver Nuggets to make a run at him. While it would require some financial maneuvering from the front office in order to make it work, reports have indicated that the Nuggets are interested in reuniting with Brown should he get bought out by the Raptors.

“If Bruce Brown gets bought out he would have a major market,” Jake Fischer said on “NBA Insider Notebook.” “A team that is definitely curious if he’s going to be available in the buyout market is his old team, the Denver Nuggets. The Nuggets are very aware that they would need to make several moves to get under the first apron to be able to sign Bruce Brown, who makes north of the mid-level. Any team that is in the first apron right now is ineligible to sign someone on the buyout market, who makes north of what the mid-level exception is.”

Nuggets could make play for Bruce Brown if Raptors move on from him

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A key piece of the Nuggets title team in 2023, Brown averaged 11.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game on 47.8% shooting from the field during his lone season in Denver. With his role in Toronto diminishing, as he's playing just 20.3 minutes per game, Brown is a strong candidate to find a new home in the coming weeks, as the Nuggets are already lurking in the event he gets bought out.

Brown could still get dealt before the trade deadline, but with the Raptors known to be weighing a potential buyout for him already, that could lead teams like Denver to wait them out. Denver's plans could ultimately get foiled, but should Brown get bought out, his old team could come calling in hopes of a reunion taking place.