Another landing spot has emerged for Bruce Brown Jr.
In addition to the Lakers and Knicks, the Bucks have been linked to Brown ahead of the trade deadline. Milwaukee is exploring "a range of options" to improve the team's perimeter defense, with Brown and Hawks guard Dejounte Murray emerging as loftier targets, according to Yahoo's Jake Fischer.
Fischer added that Brown "appears to be a much stronger possibility" than Murray because of Brown's contract, which includes a $23.0 million player option for the 2024-25 season.
Is there a deal to be done between the Raptors and Bucks? Here's one potential trade.
MORE: Making sense of the Dejounte Murray-to-Bucks trade rumor
Why Raptors say yes and no: Bruce Brown Jr. trade to Bucks for Bobby Portis, Pat Connaughton package
The trade
Bruce Brown for Bobby Portis, Pat Connaughton and two future second-round picks.
Why this trade
Brown can be traded before the trade deadline, but he can't be aggregated with any other player on the Raptors. The cleanest way for the Bucks to match his $22.0 million salary is by dealing Portis and Connaughton.
The Raptors are reportedly looking for a future first-round pick (as well as a quality role player) in return for Brown. The Bucks currently have no future first-round picks to trade. They can offer either future first-round pick swaps or a maximum of two second-round picks.
Why the Raptors say yes
Portis and Connaughton are valuable veterans and rotation players.
Portis has established himself as one of the best sixth men in the NBA since joining the Bucks, averaging 13.2 points and 8.3 rebounds over the last four seasons. He's a physical big man who can punish smaller defenders around the basket and step out to the 3-point line, where he's connected on 38.0 percent of his attempts in his career.
Connaughton's minutes are down this season, but he spent the last two seasons as a part-time starter for the Bucks and is a career 36.1 percent 3-point shooter.
Both Portis and Connaughton have player options in their contracts for the 2025-26 season, so the Raptors could explore trading them in the offseason if they don't see them as short or long-term fits. Portis in particular could draw interest around the league.
The two second-round picks are probably the most the Raptors can squeeze out of the Bucks right now.
Why the Raptors say no
Portis, 28, and Connaughton, 31, have proven to be quality role players, but they aren't on the same timeline as Immanuel Quickley, Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett. Second-round picks aren't nothing, but if the Raptors are dead set on getting a first-round pick back for Brown, this isn't going to cut it.
Unlike the Lakers, who have a couple of packages they could put together for Brown, this might be the Bucks' only option given how their salaries are structured and how few draft picks they currently control.
MORE: Why Raptors say yes and no to this Bruce Brown-to-Lakers trade
Would the Bucks even sign off on this?
The Bucks are already top-heavy, so trading two rotational players for one is risky.
Brown would be an upgrade over Connaughton on both ends of the court, but Milwaukee's frontcourt rotation would take a hit moving on from Portis. Incoming coach Doc Rivers would have to lean even more on Jae Crowder and Robin Lopez to fill the backup power forward and center minutes. While an injury to Giannis Antetokounmpo or Brook Lopez would already be disastrous, the Bucks would be even more vulnerable without Porter.
Perhaps the Bucks could pick up a big in the buyout market, but there's no guarantee anyone who can help them win a championship this season will become available.
Trading Connaughton and Cameron Payne for Brown would be easier for the Bucks to stomach, but Connaughton's $9.4 million salary and Payne's $2.0 million salary aren't nearly enough to match Brown's.
