One team continues to be mentioned as a suitor for Bruce Brown Jr.
Shortly after the Raptors acquired Brown from the Pacers, SNY's Ian Begley reported there was "internal interest" within the Knicks in the veteran guard. It doesn't appear as though anything has changed in the weeks since, as New York was once again linked to Brown days before the trade deadline.
The Knicks have been one of the biggest surprises this season and find themselves in the mix for the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference. The right trade could set them up for a deep run.
Is there a deal to be done between the Raptors and Knicks? Here's one potential trade.
MORE: Why Raptors say yes and no to this Bruce Brown-to-Bucks trade
Why Raptors say yes and no: Bruce Brown Jr. to Knicks for Quentin Grimes, Evan Fournier package
The trade
Bruce Brown for Evan Fournier, Quentin Grimes and a 2024 first-round pick.
Why this trade
The Knicks were linked to Brown almost as soon as the Raptors acquired him. Toronto's asking price for Brown was first reported as being a first-round pick and a quality role player.
Brown can be traded before the trade deadline, but he can't be aggregated with any other player on the Raptors.
Why the Raptors say yes
Grimes had a breakout sophomore season with the Knicks, starting in 66 of 71 games while averaging 11.3 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists on 38.6 percent shooting from 3. He made a name for himself with his play on the other end of the court as a tough and physical defender at the guard position.
Grimes won't turn 24 until May, so he's on a similar timeline as Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett. He'd slide in nicely alongside them as a 3-and-D shooting guard, and he already has experience playing with Quickley and Barrett.
The Raptors don't have much use for Fournier, a 31-year-old veteran who basically hasn't played for the Knicks for two seasons, but he could be used to match salary in another deal if the front office picks up his $19.0 million team option for the 2024-25 season.
MORE: Why Raptors say yes and no to this Bruce Brown-to-Lakers trade
Why the Raptors say no
This ticks the box of getting a first-round pick for Brown, but it might not be a particularly good one. With the Knicks near the top of the Eastern Conference standings, their 2024 pick will likely be in the mid-20s of what is being described as a weak draft class.
Grimes has first-round pick value, but that's based on his play last season, not this season. He's come off the bench for most of 2023-24, his minutes have been up and down and his scoring has fallen from 11.3 points per game to 7.3.
Some of Grimes' struggles could be situational. He talked about his role in December, saying it feels like if he doesn't hit a shot, he's going to get taken out of the game.
“So every shot I shoot probably weighs like 100 pounds if I don’t make it," Grimes explained.
Grimes would have more freedom on a rebuilding Raptors team, but if the front office is not confident he can regain his 2022-23 form, they might be better off holding onto Brown, picking up his $23.0 million team option and revisiting trade discussions next year.
Would the Knicks even sign off on this?
The Knicks aren't willing to trade Grimes unless the player they're getting in return is an upgrade, per Yahoo Sports' Jake Fischer. Brown is that.
Brown is a streaky 3-point shooter, but he would make the Knicks nastier and more versatile on both ends of the court. He'd also give them an extra ball handler who can play with and without Jalen Brunson, something they're reportedly seeking. Brown helped the Nuggets win a championship last season as Jamal Murray's backup, and his experience would come in handy for a New York team looking to make a similar run.
Including a first-round pick in this trade wouldn't preclude the Knicks from making another move in the near future. Even if this didn't work out, they could pick up Brown's team option and explore trading him next season.
