Raptors’ Bruce Brown Undergoes Knee Surgery, Will Miss Several Weeks

Toronto Raptors forward Bruce Brown underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee, the team announced Friday. He will be reevaluated in three weeks. The 6-foot-4 wing is expected to miss most, if not all, of training camp and the teams’ five preseason games.

Toronto Raptors’ Bruce Brown has been dealing with a right knee injury for the better part of a year

“It’s been tough,” Brown told CityNews Toronto’s Lindsay Dunn in April. “I mean I really couldn’t bend my knee much; I really played on one leg the entire time. I just wasn’t myself since December, but next year I will be fine.” The procedure was performed by Dr. Riley Williams on Thursday in New York.

According to a tweet from Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca, Brown has been dealing with a right knee injury for over nine months. The Miami (FL) product had hoped that resting and rehabbing over the summer would be a suitable solution. However, surgery proved to be his best option.

Spoke to Bruce Brown in Miami after the Raptors season ended about his knee injury.

"very frustrating" Brown says he has been dealing with a knee injury since he has been with the #raptors

"It's been tough. I mean I really couldn't bend my knee much I really played on one leg…

— Lindsay Dunn (@LindsayDunnTV) April 14, 2024

Brown, 28, was selected in the second round of the 2018 NBA draft by the Detroit Pistons.

The Massachusetts native split last season between the Raptors and Indiana Pacers after he was acquired by Toronto on Jan. 17. This was part of the trade that sent Pascal Siakam to Indiana.

In 34 games (11 starts) with the Raptors, he averaged 9.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 26 minutes per contest. Additionally, he shot 48.1% from the field, 31.7% from 3-point range, and a career-best 83.3% at the free throw line.

Toronto exercised Brown’s $23 million option in June

Furthermore, in Indiana’s 144-129 win over the Miami Heat on Dec. 2, 2023, he recorded a season-high 30 points on 11-of-16 (68.8%) shooting from the floor, 4-of-6 (66.7%) from deep, and 4-of-5 (80%) at the foul line.

This past June, Toronto picked up the $23 million option on his contract because he could be a valuable trade piece. Brown will be a free agent next summer, following the 2024-25 season.

In June 2023, Brown signed a two-year, $45 million contract with the Pacers. He previously declined his $6.8 million player option with Denver for 2023-24 to test free agency and land a longer-term deal.

Through 416 career NBA regular-season games (256 starts), Brown has averages of 8.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per contest. In addition to the Pacers, he has also played for the Pistons (2018-20), Brooklyn Nets (2020-22), and Denver Nuggets (2022-23).