NBA Free Agency: Raptors' Bruce Brown to Rockets?

The Houston Rockets could look to sign Bruce Brown in free agency should he opt out of his contract with the Toronto Raptors.

The Houston Rockets have proven this season that all their free agency spending hasn't been enough to build a winner just yet, and adjustments will have to be made this offseason.

Those adjustments can come with developing the young core, making trades or dipping back into the free agency market.

Bruce Brown Raptors Jabari Smith Jr.
John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

Bleacher Report suggests that the Rockets should look towards free agency for some upgrades, namely Toronto Raptors guard Bruce Brown if he declines his player option for next season.

"There's plenty of ball-handling tied up in VanVleet, Thompson and Jalen Green. But he does create some, and his experience as the rim-runner in inverted pick-and-rolls would come in handy with the aforementioned playmakers. He can bring some defense and attitude that's missing from a lot of other free agents, too," Bleacher Report writes.

Brown, 27, is averaging a career-best 11.2 points per game with the Raptors and Indiana Pacers this season. Brown was dealt by the Pacers to the Raptors as part of the Pascal Siakam trade last month. Many thought Brown would be a candidate to be dealt at the deadline earlier this month with the Raptors not in playoff contention, but Toronto opted to keep him.

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Brown would add a strong defensive presence to the Rockets alongside Dillon Brooks. He would also add some championship pedigree from his run last summer with the Denver Nuggets, which helped him garner a two-year, $45 million contract last offseason.

If he were to opt out of his deal, he would likely expect around $25 million per year in free agency, a sum that the Rockets could hypothetically pay him given the lack of big contracts on the roster.


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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.