According to Toronto Raptors beat reporter Josh Lewenberg, per the team, wing Bruce Brown underwent knee surgery on Thursday. Lewenberg notes that the team will re-evaluate Brown in three weeks. This makes it likely he will miss all of training camp and at least most of preseason. It remains unknown whether he will be ready for the beginning of the regular season.
Bruce Brown underwent an arthroscopic surgical procedure on his right knee, per the Raptors. He will be re-evaluated in 3 weeks, which means he’ll miss the start of training camp (at minimum).
— Josh Lewenberg (@JLew1050) September 20, 2024
Furthermore, Lewnberg said in another tweet that Brown began dealing with the injury before getting traded to the Raptors.
Brown’s been dealing with his knee injury since before the trade to Toronto. Clearly, he hoped it would improve with rest/rehab over the summer. Timing for surgery isn’t ideal and means he’ll get a late start to his contract season. https://t.co/bHuFmzlGdE
— Josh Lewenberg (@JLew1050) September 20, 2024
The Raptors acquired the former champion from the Indiana Pacers in January. Brown was included in the blockbuster trade that saw the Raptors ship out Pascal Siakam after parts of eight seasons with the team.
In Toronto, Brown played 34 games last season. With the team, he averaged 9.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.7 assists. Additionally, he shot 48.1% from the field and 31.7% from beyond the arc.
Toronto Raptors Wing Recently Underwent Knee Surgery
What Bruce Brown’s Injury Means for Toronto
Brown remaining on the Raptors eight months after the trade is a bit surprising. From the beginning, there were talks of the team flipping him in a separate trade. In May, Doug Smith of the Toronto Star reported that the Raptors were expected to trade Brown at this year’s draft. The draft took place in June.
The Raptors have until June 29 (two days after the draft) to exercise an option on the $23 million (U.S.) he’s owed next season — a valuable expiring contract to put on the market.
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.
As long as he stays on the team, Brown will likely remain in trade talks. With his new injury, it will most likely delay any possible trade involving Brown for the foreseeable future.
Furthermore, from a basketball perspective, losing the 28-year-old for any time is a big blow. He is a phenomenal 3-and-D player and has championship experience.
Where the Raptors Stand in the League Without Bruce Brown
Last season, Toronto finished with a 25-57 record. This was their worst finish since the 2011-12 season. Additionally, they missed the playoffs for the second consecutive season. The Raptors are not contending for a championship anytime soon. However, there is a lot to be excited about with the team. Most notably, they signed Scottie Barnes to a long-term contract extension earlier this year. Barnes took a big leap last year and should only continue to improve.
The Raptors could surprise some people next season. However, with how competitive the rest of the conference is, a playoff appearance does not seem realistic. At least, not this season.
