Knicks Rumors: New York Now Interested In Another Raptors Trade

The New York Knicks and Toronto Raptors are both quite happy with the early returns on their big trade that brought OG Anunoby to Manhattan and Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett to The Six. So hey, why not go back to the well for another deal?

Rumors have the Knicks interested in the newest Raptor, Bruce Brown, just acquired this week in the Pascal Siakam trade with the Indiana Pacers. 

REPORT: The Knicks are interested in trading for Bruce Brown Jr., per @IanBegley. pic.twitter.com/KutTwizlJF

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) January 18, 2024

“I was told there is some internal interest in going after Bruce Brown from the Knicks as far as a trade candidate here…There are some people with the Knicks that would love to bring him on ahead of the trade deadline,” says Knicks Insider Ian Begley of SNY. 

Brown was a key contributor to the Denver Nuggets championship run in 2023, bringing toughness and a defensive mentality whether starting or off the bench. He was signed by the Pacers last summer to a 2-year, $45 million deal, but next season is a team option, so it can also be considered an expiring contract. 

He's averaged 12 points, 4.7 boards and 3.0 assists for Indiana, in about 30 minutes a game. He was sacrificed by the Pacers in order to bring in Siakam in that blockbuster deal. 

Whether he gets to play much for the Raptors remains to be seen, as the Knicks see him as a great fit in the defensive system of coach Tom Thibodeau, and would love to get their hands on him.

For his part, Raptors President Masai Ujiri, in his post-trade address to the media on Thursday, intimated that they're looking forward to Brown's skills on their team, but this could just be for leverage in trade talks around him. 

Photo: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports