After winning a championship with the team in 2023, Bruce Brown left the Denver Nuggets after one season to join the Indiana Pacers. Brown, while far from a star on the team, played an essential role in the Nuggets’ championship victory. At the time, many expected the loss of Brown to impact the Nuggets negatively. While the Nuggets are still a great team, they could still benefit from having a player like him on the team. Fortunately for them, a reunion is reportedly on the table.
According to NBA insider Jake Fischer (subscription required), the Toronto Raptors “are very motivated” to move on from Brown via a trade or a buyout.
“The Raptors are very motivated to move Brown and his $23 million salary, sources said, in hopes of growing the return from trading Pascal Siakam to Indiana on Jan. 17, 2024…If no trade materializes involving Brown, he would surely be in great demand as a buyout candidate,” Fischer wrote.
Additionally, Fischer reported that the Nuggets are interested in re-signing the Boston native.
“Another team, fittingly, to keep in mind for Brown on the buyout market — if it gets that far — would be Denver. The Nuggets, sources say, would love a reunion with the veteran swingman affectionately known as Brucey B.”
Denver Nuggets Pursuing Reunion With Bruce Brown?
What Bruce Brown Brings to the Table
This season, Brown has played just nine games for the Raptors. In those games, he is averaging 7.2 points and 3.4 rebounds. Though he has played just a few games this season, it is evident that Brown can be a useful player on a contending team. He is a fantastic 3-and-D player who brings a lot of versatility on both ends of the floor. It is also a plus that Brown has won a championship and played an important part in doing so.
Specific to Denver, Brown is also familiar with their system. Most of the players from the 2023 championship team are still on the roster. If Brown were to re-sign with the Nuggets, it is likely he will play a similar role. However, Brown is coming off knee surgery. Though he is still a solid player, he may not be as reliable as he was even a couple of years ago.
The Last Word
Over halfway through the season, the Nuggets are 26-16. They own the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference and have been on fire lately. Since the start of the new year, they are 8-3 and have won six of their last seven games. Furthermore, they are the third-best scoring team in the league and rank as the fourth-best offense overall. Just a few weeks ahead of the trade deadline, it is unclear if the Nuggets will be active. Earlier in the season, they were in rumors to potentially trade for Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine. However, those rumors died down a while ago. After losing in the second round of the playoffs last year, the Nuggets hope for a better end to the season this time around.
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