Report: Raptors pick up $23M team option on Brown
The Toronto Raptors exercised guard Bruce Brown's $23-million team option on Friday, sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
Brown will likely become part of a trade this summer or during the season, Wojnarowski adds.
The 27-year-old originally inked a two-year deal worth $45 million with the Indiana Pacers after he was a key contributor to the Denver Nuggets' 2023 NBA title team. Brown was shipped to Toronto in January as part of the Pascal Siakam trade.
Brown averaged 9.6 points and 2.7 assists while shooting just 31% from three in his 34 games with the Raptors.
Toronto struggled with injuries post-trade deadline, going 3-20 over its final 23 games of the season, which included a 15-game losing streak. The Raptors had to forfeit their 2024 first-round pick to the San Antonio Spurs as part of the Jakob Poeltl trade made in 2023.
Toronto has secured its future after reportedly signing former Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes and up-and-coming point guard Immanuel Quickley to long-term contract extensions.
These moves will likely limit the Raptors' free-agent options, as they have yet to sign unrestricted free agent Gary Trent Jr.
The Raptors also recently acquired former lottery pick Davion Mitchell and Bulgarian forward Sasha Vezenkov from the Sacramento Kings.