There are a lot of things to catch up on, as there is major reshuffling in the NBA league. The February 8 deadline is approaching, and many players are finding their abode on a new roster now. A mega-deal between the Indiana Pacers and the Toronto Raptors has already been done and dusted. While the deal is still creating ripples in the league, there seems to be another name on the trade block.
The Toronto Raptors traded the two-time NBA All-Star to the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference. The Indiana Pacers got Siakam Pascal in exchange for Bruce Brown Jr., Jordan Nwora, and three first-round picks as salary fillers. While NBA fans were finding this trade exorbitant, the Pacers seemed to need the player. One thing worth noting is that the Pacers and New York Knicks depict a constantly in-motion phenomenon.
Some members in the Knicks organization are fans of Bruce Brown, per @IanBegley
“I was told there is some internal interest in going after Bruce Brown from the Knicks as far as a trade candidate.”
(Via @sny_knicks ) pic.twitter.com/n0dc9CPN7u
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) January 18, 2024
This trade definitely sounded bad to the Knicks, as the team was eyeing Brown Jr. during the 2023 free agency. Per Ian Begley, a reporter covering the Knicks, “I was told there is some internal interest in going after Bruce Brown from the Knicks as far as a trade candidate.”
This statement seems to confirm the NBA trade rumors that a potential trade between the Toronto Raptors and New York Knicks might get initiated. There is a great deal behind this rumor, as the Knicks want to have strong ground when they face the Pacers.
How will Bruce Brown benefit the Knicks?
The reason why the Knicks might be willing to trade Brown Jr. has everything to do with the Pascal Siakam trade. Pascal Siakam will become a free agent this summer. Now, if the Pacers re-sign the Cameroonian player, they will form a trio with Benedict Mathurin and Jarace Walker.
Once Tyrese Haliburton gets healthy, the roster will have strong depth on the hardwood. And hence, with such a loaded roster, the Pacers will become a formidable team in the Eastern Conference.