Bruce Brown reflects on his decision to join Denver last summer: “All that money dried up”
Bruce Brown turned out to be one of the best free agent signings in the 2022 NBA offseason. The Denver Nuggets got him on a team-friendly $13.2 million two-year deal.
Entering the free agency class last summer, Brown was expected to sign a more expensive contract, owing to his exploits in the playoffs with the Brooklyn Nets. He averaged 14.0 points and 4.8 rebounds, shooting on 57/43/80 splits in their first-round series loss to the Boston Celtics in 2022.
However, Brown didn't have many suitors in the market. Teams with cap space had spent all their money on other targets, leaving him with limited options. The Denver Nuggets did a phenomenal job of capitalizing on that and understanding that Brown fills a need for them. Here's what the veteran wing said about this process during an appearance on the Run Your Race podcast:
"I obviously had a great second year in the playoffs... Nobody was really interested at the time. But may be they were, but they weren't committed. I wasn't their first option or second option, or third. And then all the money dried up, and I didn't know where I was going."
The Nuggets knew they would need a versatile wing who could play point guard minutes with Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. returning from long-term injury absences. Brown also filled a need defensively as another perimeter stopper and an impact player off the bench, something the Nuggets lacked on their previous teams.
Bruce Brown revealed Michael Malone was surprised he was still unsigned. He also mentioned his conversation with Denver's GM Calvin Booth and the pitch he made, saying:
"Calvin Booth called me and was like, 'Jamal [Murray] is not gonna play all 82 cause he's coming off injury... We need somebody to be a ball handler.' And I said, 'Lock me in.'"
That roster spot was tailor-made for Bruce Brown. He was integral to the Nuggets' maiden championship run. In his lone season with the franchise, Brown averaged 11.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.4 assists across 80 games, 31 as a starter. In the playoffs, he tallied 12.0 points and 4.0 rebounds across 20 games off the bench, playing 26.6 minutes on average.
Did you know that signing with Denver was Bruce Brown’s only option last year?
“All the money dried up and I didn’t know where I was going…coach Malone called me at 8am in the morning and was like, I don’t know why you are still on the board…”
@BruceBrown11 | @tpinsonn https://t.co/IEwQjnrLS3
Bruce Brown didn't have limited options this summer
Bruce Brown's 2023 NBA free agency prospects certainly didn't hit any roadblocks unlike last offseason. The Denver Nuggets wanted him back but could only offer him $7.8 million annually as they didn't have his bird rights. Brown was eligible to sign for the non-taxpayer exception worth $12.4 million elsewhere.
Several teams were interested in his services, but the Indiana Pacers won the sweepstakes after signing him to a lucrative two-year $45 million contract. The Pacers had the cap space to offer him that money and maintain flexibility for the second year of his deal if he opted in.
Bruce Brown shares his instant reaction to getting his #Pacers contract offer on @TidalLeague:
“It really came out of nowhere”… https://t.co/ebV9ebdSWy
Brown's departure is a massive blow for Denver as they relied heavily on him last year to cover for Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. in the regular season and as an impact player off the bench.