Lakers predicted to acquire $45 million NBA champion via trade with Raptors

The Los Angeles Lakers are 12-8 through their first 20 games of the 2024-25 season, maintaining possession of the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference. 

After their nail-biter victory against the Utah Jazz by a score of 105-104 Sunday night, Los Angeles looks to have found a groove on the defensive end of the floor over their last five games. 

Though the team has won just two of their past five contests, their current No. 26-ranked defense has been holding opponents to just 100.0 points. Their 116.9 defensive rating has been the story for much of the season to this point, and Los Angeles could be tempted to shake their roster up to improve defensively.

With the Lakers’ 28-year-old former All-Star D’Angelo Russell regressing as a scorer and guard Gabe Vincent looking to be a shell himself compared to his electric run during the 2023 NBA Playoffs with the Miami Heat, Lakers’ general manager Rob Pelinka may be forced to make a decision regarding their futures with the organization.

In fact, Pelinka could use either of them to land a perfect two-way option from the Toronto Raptors.

Bruce Brown was selected with the No. 42 overall pick in the second round of the 2018 NBA Draft to the Detroit Pistons, though he would make his presence felt by his third season as a member of the Brooklyn Nets. 

Brown then became an important piece to the Denver Nuggets’ road to the 2023 NBA championship, though he’d leave Denver in free agency for the Indiana Pacers and ultimately land with the Raptors through trade in 2023-24.

Though Brown has not played for Toronto this season due to injury, reports suggest that he has been activated as a practice participant.

“Brown (knee)…is ramping up his conditioning for a return to game action,” wrote Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca Sunday night, per CBS Sports. “Brown has yet to make his season debut while recovering from a procedure on his right knee…However, the 28-year-old is potentially nearing a return to game action as he regains his conditioning.”

Brown’s career, with 10.1 defensive win shares and 113 defensive rating per 100 possessions, would surely help transform the Lakers into a competent defensive group on the perimeter.

In exchange for Brown, Toronto could seek Russell, Vincent, or prospects like Jalen Hood-Schifino and Max Christie along with draft compensation to assist their rebuilding efforts