Getty Josh Hart #3 of the New York Knicks dribbles against Bruce Brown #11 of the Toronto Raptors.
The New York Knicks and Bruce Brown share mutual interests. So the Toronto Raptors are using that as leverage.
According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Raptors have set a high price for the 6-foot-4 Brown in their bid to add more draft capital from the original Pascal Siakam trade.
“The Raptors’ asking price for teams interested in acquiring Bruce Brown has been described as a future first-round pick and a quality player … at a minimum.
Toronto knows that a variety of contending teams are interested in Brown, noting his contributions to Denver’s title run last season, making the Raptors hopeful they can spark some robust bidding for a player with both championship pedigree and a team-friendly contract,” Stein wrote in his January 21 substack newsletter.
Bruce Brown, Knicks Share Mutual Interest
The report of the Raptors’ hefty asking price for Brown came on the heels of his interview in New York, openly suggesting his perfect fit with the Knicks.
“I am a dog,” Brown told New York Post’s Jared Schwartz. “I play extremely hard on both ends of the floor. I can do just about whatever [Tom Thibodeau] needs me to do.”
“Every time we play Thibs, I go up to him and shake his hand, just because of what he’s done,” Brown added. “Nothing but respect for Thibs.”
The 27-year-old Brown met with the Knicks in the free agency but the Indiana Pacers beat them with a $45 million, 2-year offer. Brown parlayed his championship run with the Denver Nuggets last season with a massive pay raise. He will earn $22 million this year then he becomes a valuable trade chip in the offseason with a $23 million team option.
Based on the Raptors’ asking price, the Knicks can potentially package Evan Fournier and Quentin Grimes for Brown.
But will the Knicks be willing to add a first-round pick if Grimes is already included?
Jordan Clarkson Could Cost the Same as Bruce Brown
The Knicks’ other trade candidate to replicate Immanuel Quickley’s shotmaking and playmaking in their second unit could also cost them a future first-round pick.
According to SNY’s Ian Begley, it would take “a lot” for the Knicks to acquire Jordan Clarkson, a former 6th Man of the Year but hasn’t won a ring like Brown.
“When you think about Jordan Clarkson… I’m told teams looking into him saying Utah is gonna want a lot back,” Begley reported after the Knicks’ 126-100 rout of the Toronto Raptors on January 20 at Madison Square Garden.
“He’s under contract for next year. The [Jazz] organization really loves Jordan Clarkson, and he’s been helping them win games. So if you’re a Knicks fan, and you want Jordan Clarkson, just know that the Knicks would have to pony up significant trade assets to get him.”
If Brown has a huge fan in Thibodeau for his two-way skillset, Clarkson also has in Knicks assistant general manager Walt Perrin.
The former Jazz vice president for player personnel was instrumental in bringing Clarkson to Utah in a midseason trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2019.
Clarkson flourished soon after and won the 2021 6th Man of the Year award as the Jazz topped the Western Conference in the regular season only to fall short in the second round of the playoffs.