NBA Insider Suggests Possible Raptors Trade With Bucks

The Milwaukee Bucks are reportedly looking to make defensive changes and could send Brook Lopez to the Toronto Raptors for Bruce Brown Jr. this summer

Mar 19, 2023; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks center Brook Lopez (11) looks to pass the ball against Toronto Raptors center Jakob Poeltl (19) in the fourth quarter at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports / Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

The Milwaukee Bucks may be a suitor for Toronto Raptors guard Bruce Brown Jr. this summer.

Brown appears destined to be traded at some point in the not-too-distant future once Toronto picks up his $23 million team option for next season as is expected to happen before the end of the month. Doug Smith of the Toronto Star reported that the Raptors plan to trade Brown around the draft beginning next week.

Where he'll end up is a bit of a mystery.

One possible landing spot is in Milwaukee where the Bucks are said to be looking to play "a more versatile style of defense," The Ringer's Kevin O'Conner wrote. That opens up the possibility of a one-for-one swap with Brown and Bucks center Brook Lopez swapping teams.

It's a deal that makes sense financially with Brown and Lopez both set to earn $23 million in the final year of their contracts next season.

That said, Toronto doesn't really have a need for Lopez as a 36-year-old center who doesn't make sense on a team with Jakob Poeltl and Kelly Olynyk already under contract. While Lopez has been a very good defender for the past few seasons and has impressive floor-spacing ability, he's too old to fit with Toronto's young core and the Raptors would have to move Poeltl or Lopez to the bench as a backup center.

The Raptors could look to move Lopez to a contender either as part of a three-team deal or a subsequent trade this offseason. Houston had interst in Lopez last summer but is unlikely to pursue the veteran big man this offseason. Memphis, New Orleans, and Oklahoma City could all be in the market for a center like Lopez this summer.