Getty Image / Matthew Stockman
The Denver Nuggets finally won their first NBA Championship in franchise history. They did it in resounding fashion, too, never playing in a game 7 all playoffs and going 16-4 in the postseason. But, they’ve now lost a huge piece of that puzzle in Bruce Brown.
Bruce Brown was a great sixth man for the Nuggets, and the wing played especially well in the playoffs. He scored 12.0 points per game in the playoffs and shot over 50%, while being arguably their best defensive player and energy guy. Everyone knew he was going to get a big contract this offseason from someone. The Nuggets were going to struggle to resign him due to cap constraints, and ultimately he decided to chase the money somewhere else.
ESPN reporting with @malikaandrews: Free agent Bruce Brown has agreed on a two-year, $45M deal with the Indiana Pacers, his agents Ty Sullivan and Steven Heumann of @CAASports tell ESPN. Denver — limited in what it could pay — loses a key piece to its repeat hopes.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2023
That’s a huge deal for the 26-year-old Miami (FL) alum. And, it’s the second huge deal the Pacers made within the first few hours of free agency, as they extended Tyrese Haliburton with a massive deal. He will surely step into the starting lineup for a team that desperately needs wing defense and toughness.
The Denver Nuggets will look to replace Bruce Brown with the mid-level exception. It will be a challenge to get someone at that price that has the same impact as he did, however.