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Bruce Brown-Nets storyline more than enough to amuse Knicks fans

By Jordanna Clark

DENVER, COLORADO - JUNE 01: Bruce Brown #11 of the Denver Nuggets reacts after a basket during the third quarter against the Miami Heat in Game One of the 2023 NBA Finals at Ball Arena on June 01, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
DENVER, COLORADO - JUNE 01: Bruce Brown #11 of the Denver Nuggets reacts after a basket during the third quarter against the Miami Heat in Game One of the 2023 NBA Finals at Ball Arena on June 01, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /
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While the New York Knicks had a superior free agency last offseason after inking Jalen Brunson to a steal of a deal, their crosstown rival let a key player walk. On July 1, the Nuggets signed Bruce Brown to a two-year, $13.2 million contract. Similar to New York and Brunson, Denver got Brown at a cheap price compared to the value that he’s given to the Nuggets.

Brown averaged a career-high 11.5 points in the 2022-23 regular season while shooting 48.3% from the field and 35.8% from three. He’s been even more dominant off the bench in the playoffs for Denver, which shouldn’t come as a surprise to Brooklyn fans as he was the Nets’ best player in the 2022 postseason when the team was swept by the Celtics in the first round.

In the 16 playoff games (and counting!) that the Nuggets have played in, Brown’s averaging 12.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 2.2 assists while shooting an absurd 53.3% from the floor. In Denver’s 104-93 Game 1 NBA Finals win over Miami on Thursday, Brown posted 10 points (4-of-7 from the field, 2-of-3 from three) and five rebounds in 21 minutes.

The 26-year-old has a $6.8 million player option for 2023-24 that he’s likely going to opt out of to become a free agent for the second straight offseason. As much as Denver would love to retain Brown, he could go elsewhere and get more money. It was just last summer when Brown wasn’t a hot commodity on the free agent market, but a lot has changed over the past season.

Knicks fans should enjoy seeing Bruce Brown excel with Nuggets after leaving Nets

Bruce Brown was the No. 42 overall pick in the 2018 draft by Detroit, where he spent his first two seasons in the league before being traded to Brooklyn as part of a three-team deal. He averaged a respectable 8.9 points per game with the Nets in two seasons and the 14 points that he averaged in last year’s postseason weren’t enough for Brooklyn to want to re-sign him. The Nets weren’t the only team that didn’t want him, though.

Brown was recently a guest on The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz, where he said that he heard that the Nets’ front office wanted him back. He wouldn’t offer much information other than that, but it’s been assumed that maybe it was Kevin Durant that wasn’t keen on Brooklyn re-signing Brown.

If that’s true, look at how it worked out for the Nets. KD was traded to the Suns earlier this season, and ironically enough, Brown and the Nuggets eliminated Phoenix in the Western Conference semifinals in five games.

Brown’s already made his mark in Denver by being part of the first team in franchise history to reach the NBA Finals. Next on the list is winning a title and with the Nuggets up 1-0 in the series over the Heat, the team is off to a good start.

In retrospect, the Nets letting Bruce Brown go couldn’t have worked out better for him. He left a struggling franchise for a successful franchise where he gets to play alongside the best player in the world. Brooklyn’s loss has been Denver’s gain.

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