3. Bruce Brown, Toronto Raptors
Bruce Brown is someone who torched the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Finals and was a big reason why the Denver Nuggets won the NBA Championship. Nikola Jokic is obviously the driving force but that Nuggets run reminded everyone just how important a consistent role player can be.
This earned Brown a decent contract from the Indiana Pacers only for him to be traded to the Toronto Raptors in the Pascal Siakam move. Brown admittedly has not been as good nor consistent without Jokic elevating his game, and that may hurt his trade value if Toronto moves on from him.
Toronto should be inclined to trade Brown as some point, whether it be this season at the deadline or over the summer. Brown is not a long-term piece for the Raptors and it is not like they have anything to contend for. The team must bite the bullet and trade for younger players for the future.
Brown would fit nicely as a third guard in Los Angeles with positional flexibility that can really open up what Darvin Ham does with the rotation and lineups. Like he did with Jokic, Brown would likely elevate his play alongside LeBron James and can give the Lakers that back-breaking role player off the bench in the playoffs.
Working out a Brown trade could be tough, though, as Toronto has absolutely no reason to take back Russell in any deal. Rui Hachimura is someone whom Toronto should love and a package of Hachimura and Jalen Hood-Schifino gets the Lakers to the salary number they need.
Lakers fans would be sad to see Hachimura go but it is not like Ham plays him much anyway. If Hachimura is completely off the table then the Lakers would either need a third team to take Russell or would have to pair an unprotected first with him to convince the Raptors to take him back.