The Toronto Raptors are expected to pick up their $23 million team option on guard Bruce Brown's contract before trading him this offseason, according to Doug Smith of the Toronto Star.

"The sense from a handful of league sources is that the Raptors are likely to pick up the option, then turn around and deal Brown quickly rather than wait until the 2025 trade deadline," Smith wrote.

After excelling as the Denver Nuggets' sixth man en route to helping that team win the 2022-23 NBA title, Brown inked a two-year, $45 million contract in free agency with the Indiana Pacers last July.

His time in Indiana lasted 33 games before the Pacers traded him to Toronto in a deal that notably sent two-time All-Star forward Pascal Siakam the other way. Kira Lewis Jr., Jordan Nwora and three first-round draft picks also went to Toronto.

Brown, who turns 28 in August, averaged 10.8 points on 47.8 percent shooting, 4.2 rebounds and 2.9 assists last season for the Raptors and Pacers.

The Raptors are in full rebuilding mode after trading Siakam to the Pacers and OG Anunoby to the New York Knicks.

Entering the offseason, their core consists of Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett, all of whom will be 25 years old or younger when the next season begins.

With the team coming off a 25-57 campaign, keeping a veteran like Brown for $23 million probably doesn't make much sense.

His stats certainly don't pop out at first glance, but he's a versatile jack-of-all-trades type player who's proven to be beneficial toward a championship team's success.

In the event the Raptors can't find a deal for Brown this summer, they could always continue to explore those discussions ahead of next year's trade deadline given the value of his expiring contract.

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