One-Time Pacers Star Could Become Massive Buyout Market Candidate

Former Indiana Pacers guard Bruce Brown could be one of the top buyout candidates if his current team, the Toronto Raptors, fails to trade him by the Feb. 6 NBA trade deadline.
NBA insider Jake Fischer shared the news in his latest column.
“The Raptors are very motivated to move Brown and his $23 million salary, sources said, in hopes of growing the return from trading Pascal Siakam to Indiana on Jan. 17, 2024…If no trade materializes involving Brown, he would surely be in great demand as a buyout candidate.”
While that is the case, Fischer added that the Raptors are "very motivated" to deal with Brown prior to the deadline.
"There were roughly a dozen teams, sources say, in line to offer Brown the full MLE during free agency in the summer of 2023—fresh off Brown's critical role in helping Denver win the first NBA championship in franchise history," he wrote. "Now rival executives have been waiting to see Brown return to health and peak performance before committing to a trade for him."
Brown has not been the same player since he was with the Denver Nuggets, where he helped them get over the top due to his elite guard play on both sides of the ball in that championship run.
That title run was all that the Pacers needed to see, as they didn't hesitate to sign him the moment free agency opened. The Pacers signed Brown to a two-year, $45 million deal with Indiana in July 2023.
Brown saw an increased role in Indiana, earning a starting position as the highest-paid Pacer for the 2023–24 season. The Pacers wanted an upgrade at their wing spot and traded for Pascal Siakaim.
Brown was a key piece in that trade that allowed Indiana to match salaries.
Brown is still highly sought after, and the Los Angeles Lakers are one of the few teams that could trade for him.
However, if a deal is not reached and he does hit the buyout market, the Lakers or Nuggets could be huge players for Brown.
The Raptors picked up Brown's $23 million team option for this season, and he will be an unrestricted free agent after this season.
The 28-year-old has spent most of this season recovering from right knee surgery in September, which has limited him to nine appearances so far.
He didn't make his debut until late December.
While Brown may not be the same player player he was in Denver, he is still a player who could be of tremendous help.
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