NBA rumors: Raptors would benefit from Rockets pursuing Celtics star

The Toronto Raptors and their fanbase were surprised by rumors hinting at Nick Nurse potentially leaving the squad. However, they aren’t the only Atlantic team that could look much different in the 2023-24 season, as Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown has also been looking around for where his next payday will come from.

Rumors of Brown departing Boston have accelerated in recent weeks, with Brown himself saying that he wants to play somewhere where he feels wanted. While the Celtics will obviously be the favorites to retain Brown long-term, they could face competition from teams looking to jump up the standings quickly.

Boston would like to keep him and Jayson Tatum together long-term, but there will be a parade of teams who want to make Brown a max player and the unquestioned No. 1 option on their respective teams. The Houston Rockets, who are going after Nurse, might be willing to quench Brown’s thirst.

John Granato of ESPN 97.5 in Houston said that Rockets fans will “hear a lot of noise” about Brown in the offseason. The Celtics have depth, but lacking a formidable No. 2 beyond Tatum could be enough of a weakness for the Raptors to exploit consistently in their question to leapfrog Boston in the standings.

NBA rumors: Raptors would love Jaylen Brown to leave Celtics for Rockets.

Brown is averaging 26.7 points and 6.8 rebounds per game this season, showing that his production is absolutely worth a premium contract in free agency. Even if Toronto stays the course and doesn’t change their roster too much, they could be more competitive against Boston if Brown ends up bolding.

Veteran Malcolm Brogdon (who is currently third on the team in scoring) and Marcus Smart will both be 30 or older next season, and 37-year-old Al Horford might fall off at some point in the near future. The Raptors can compete with them, even if Boston used the money that would have been allocated to Brown on a replacement.

If Scottie Barnes takes the offensive leap many expect next season, the three-headed monster of Barnes, All-Star Pascal Siakam, and one of either Gary Trent Jr. or Fred VanVleet might pose a legitimate challenge to a Brown-less Celtics, especially with Jakob Poeltl moving into the starting lineup.

The Raptors may like their current team, but Boston is a cut above with Brown and Tatum together. If this duo is broken up, that’s a different story.