3 Raptors players most likely to be traded away this summer

No. 1: Bruce Brown

Bruce Brown is both the obvious answer to lead this list and may not even be on the roster at all to be traded this summer. The Raptors have until the end of June to decide whether to let Brown walk in free agency or to exercise his team option and bring him back on a $23 million contract for next season.

If they do the latter, it almost has to be because they have the framework of a deal worked out. If the Raptors don't have any leads in free agency, perhaps they exercise the option, operate as an over-the-cap team and hope for a trade to materialize. That is a risky move, however, and $23 million is a lot to risk on a deal coming together.

Instead, if the Raptors do bring him back, the trade will need to be in place already. It could be something negotiated around the draft, or perhaps a move to send Brown to a contender, but if Brown is on the roster on July 1st he is close to a lock to be traded.

The Raptors don't want Brown as a part of their long-term core; he is not the best fit as they will prioritize shooting and off-ball gravity. Brown will fit better on a team with more spacing that could benefit from his on-ball play.

There are a few other players on the roster who could be on the move. Jakob Poeltl is a name to watch if the Raptors fully embrace a rebuild, but they clearly love Poeltl and would have some egg on their face if they traded him away right after losing the eighth overall pick from their initial trade for him. Ochai Agbaji could also be a piece in a trade as his start in Toronto did not go well.

Of them all, however, Bruce Brown is the player most likely to be traded away this summer.