The Indiana Pacers didn’t make any massive changes to their roster this summer, but they did tweak things a bit. In addition to drafting Jarace Walker with the eighth pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, they also signed Bruce Brown.
Brown signed on with the Pacers on a two-year, $45 million contract that includes a team option in the second season. It’s a relatively low-risk, high-reward move.
Grade the Trade: Indiana Pacers trade Bruce Brown to Toronto Raptors for OG Anunoby in mock deal
However, when discussing trades each NBA team could make to ditch their worst contract, Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report called the deal an overpay and included him in a deal.
Here is the trade Buckley suggested:
Rumblings of the Pacers’ interest in OG Anunoby have swirled all offseason long, dating back to the draft when the rumor was that Indiana could include the eighth pick in a potential deal.
Anunoby just wrapped up an extremely impressive season that saw him land on the NBA All-Defensive Second Team. He averaged 16.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.0 assists while shooting 47.6% from the field and 38.7% from behind the three-point line.
The 26-year-old would be a solid addition next to Tyrese Haliburton and would likely play a role similar to the one Indiana is hoping Brown can provide.
As for the Toronto Raptors, their future is murky. It seems as though the franchise’s overwhelming desire to compete is getting in the way of what should be a rebuilding phase. Regardless, they’re in a weird spot.
Let’s take a look at this trade from both sides and grade it for each team involved.
Grade the Trade: Indiana Pacers trade Bruce Brown to Toronto Raptors for OG Anunoby in mock deal: Raptors grade
As noted, the Toronto Raptors currently find themselves stuck in the middle. They aren’t quite good enough to make a deep playoff run, but they aren’t bad enough to consistently land a top pick in the draft.
Plus, while rumors have indicated the Raptors’ potential willingness to trade Pascal Siakam, the All-Star has stated that he won’t re-sign anywhere but Toronto.
The deal suggested by Zach Buckley would likely only be made if the Raptors decide to embrace a rebuild, and even if they choose to take that route, they still may want to keep OG Anunoby.
He’s only 26 years old and would pair well with Scottie Barnes in their new-look frontcourt. That said, the return they’d be getting here isn’t awful.
Last season, the rumor was that Toronto was looking to get three first-round picks in return for Anunoby, but two future firsts from the Indiana Pacers wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.
However, trading for these picks would be a gable. By the time they convey, the Pacers will either be a solid playoff team or out of the picture, depending on how things go with Haliburton at the helm and if he decides to leave after his next deal. (The former seems more likely.)
Bruce Brown probably wouldn’t be of major interest to the Raptors, though, as he would fit best on a win-now roster where he can play a complementary role to stars.
But if the Raptors did make a deal such as this one, they could simply flip Brown for more assets. That would just create more work for them, though, and they wouldn’t be getting any young pieces back in the deal.
Grade: B-
Potential starting lineup: Dennis Schroder, Gradey Dick, Bruce Brown, Scottie Barnes, Jakob Poeltl
Grade the Trade: Indiana Pacers trade Bruce Brown to Toronto Raptors for OG Anunoby in mock deal: Pacers grade
Obviously, ditching Bruce Brown in a trade just a few months after they signed him would be a bit of a bad look for the Indiana Pacers, especially for any future free agents who may want to sign with them.
That said, the optics are the only thing truly bad about this trade. From a purely basketball perspective, this would be pretty close to a slam dunk for the Pacers.
As previously mentioned, the Pacers have reportedly been chasing OG Anunoby all summer, so finally landing him would be a dream come true for the organization.
Anunoby would be a perfect piece for them to pair with Tyrese Haliburton. Not only would he drastically improve the Pacers’ defensive outlook, but offensively, Anunoby could have a chance to breakout, as he’d undoubtedly be given a larger offensive role than the one he currently has with the Toronto Raptors.
Giving up Brown is tough, and losing the two future first-round picks in the deal would be a massive risk. Who knows how good the Pacers will be by the time those picks convey?
However, with Anunoby being just 26 years old, the Pacers would form a new-look core of him, Haliburton, and Myles Turner moving forward. If all three continue to improve, Indiana would likely find themselves in the playoff mix sooner rather than later.
Grade: B+
Potential starting lineup: Tyrese Haliburton, Buddy Hield, OG Anunoby, Jarace Walker, Myles Turner