Imagine being an NBA player coming off of a season in which you appeared in all 82 games, and played 24.4 minutes per contest, on a team that won 54 games. You just turned 30, so at least a few more strong seasons should be in your future. You would likely think that, as an upcoming free agent, several teams would be interested in your services.
For Bruce Brown, however, that wasn’t the case. After not missing a game last season for last season's Denver Nuggets, he toiled on the free agent market for months.
On Wednesday, he finally joined a team. Brown signed with the New York Knicks. It wasn’t on a guaranteed contract, though. Instead, Brown will battle with at least four other veterans for a spot on the Knicks roster.
While Brown is the most accomplished of those veterans, he may not be the favorite to receive a spot with the Knicks on opening night. That’s because he doesn’t fit New York’s biggest need.
Brown isn’t a center, and that’s what the Knicks need most
Along with Brown, the Knicks also signed John Konchar, James Wiseman, Drew Eubanks, and Ochai Agbaji to Exhibit 9 deals.
Comparing their careers thus far in the NBA, Brown is certainly the most accomplished. He played 26.5 minutes per game during the Nuggets’ 2023 postseason run that resulted in a title. The following offseason, Brown was thought highly enough of to garner a two-year, $45 million contract with the Indiana Pacers.
Brown is a 6-foot-4 player who most often is used in the backcourt. The Knicks already have Miles McBride, Jordan Clarkson, and Jose Alvarado coming off the bench as guards, as well as Tyler Kolek.
Looking at the roster, it is clear that New York could use a third center. New York no longer rosters Mitchell Robinson and Ariel Hukporti, and the Knicks have added just one player to help replace those bigs: Andre Drummond.
That would give an advantage to the two centers that New York recently added: Eubanks and Wiseman. Unless they make a trade to free up space, the Knicks can only afford to sign one of the aforementioned veterans to a standard deal while staying under the second apron.
It should also be noted that Konchar signed with the Knicks despite interest from multiple other teams. Perhaps he was told that he would have the upper hand in making the roster.
Maybe Brown knocks the Knicks’ socks off with his play during training camp and the preseason. For now, though, it seems like the eight-year veteran has an outside shot of making the club.
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