Grade the Trade: Raptors make another deal with Knicks, draft big in newest proposal

The Toronto Raptors seem headed for a high-pressure offseason.

Those are usually the purview of contending teams who need to pull off the right sequence of moves to win the championship. For Toronto, the current plan to pick up Bruce Brown's team option without a trade lined up puts a lot of pressure on Masai Ujiri and the front office to find a deal amidst the shifting sands and chaotic movement of free agency.

Brown is on the books for $23 million next season if his team option is exercised, a lot of money to commit to a player who isn't an excellent fit with the rest of the roster. The Raptors' plan has always been to try and work out a trade, but the real pressure comes if they need to make a decision on Brown's option without having a deal lined up.

The option decision date is June 28, one day after the end of the NBA Draft, so that gives the Raptors a week to find a trade suitor in order to make that decision with confidence. Given Brown's large salary and particular fit, his list of potential landing spots is unlikely to be long. If Toronto can line up a deal, however, they don't have to face the pressure of negotiating one on the fly.

Which teams could trade for Bruce Brown?

A number of teams have been suggested as potential trade suitors, including his old team the Denver Nuggets, a lottery team in need of defense and professionalism like Charlotte or Detroit, or an aging lion like the Golden State Warriors. One team that may be interested is the New York Knicks, who are looking to continue upgrading their roster and hitting next season healthy and deep.

Let's build a trade with the Knicks that would send Bruce Brown to the Big Apple, then use the first-round pick coming back to Toronto to draft a new prospect.