Raptors Trade Rumors: Bruce Brown is crucial to adding this star point guard

Look at a Dejounte Murray trade

So what would a hypothetical trade package look like between Toronto and Atlanta? Here are the key puzzle pieces that might be involved:

Bruce Brown can best help the Raptors by leaving

Bruce Brown is a player who came to the Toronto Raptors in the Pascal Siakam trade but could never find his footing. He has a $23 million player option for next season that looks like an overpay, but if the Raptors decline it and let him walk in free agency they lose the ability to get back any value for him. Keeping him around and trying to recoup his value, however, is a risky proposition; if he plays as poorly next year as he did in Toronto to end last season, his value will only go down.

That's why he fits best in an offseason trade, like this deal for Dejounte Murray. Bruce Brown is not going to Atlanta to be a game-changer, rather his $23 million team option is where the money matches with Dejounte Murray's contract. Be that as it may, Bruce is still a solid rotation player, and the Hawks can decide if they keep him or ship him off to a contender for more assets.

Chris Boucher finds a new home in Atlanta, after a topsy-turvy season that never saw him lock down consistent rotational minutes under Darko Rajaković. The first-rounder via Indiana shouldn't be anything too high for Toronto to worry about and the second-rounder spruces up the deal with extra draft capital. Realistically, the Raptors might need to sweeten the deal by adding another draft pick or two to make their offer competitive. However, this is the core package they would be offering.

What about the Raptors' side of the deal?