Their belief in him went a long way toward helping them to win a championship, so even as a one-year thing, it goes in the books as a home-run, free-agency signing.Īt the end of the day, according to league sources, Brown couldn’t turn down $20-plus million a season. They allowed Brown to play on the perimeter, and they allowed him to be himself.
After a lukewarm experience with the Brooklyn Nets, the Nuggets embraced him. But, one could surmise that Brown could take a short-term deal, wait until the Nuggets were able to secure his Bird rights and then offer him a contract more commensurate to his talents.ĭenver was the first place where Brown felt at home, both on the court and in the locker room. There wasn’t much they could do about the constraints of the contract they could offer. The Nuggets know they have to give themselves as many bites at the apple by replacing what Brown provided nightly.īut, in its heart, Denver hoped the championship experience, the power of the culture and the desire to run it back with the same team, would sway Brown to stay in the fold. It’s one of the reasons the Nuggets are high on Peyton Watson and bullish on his ability to move into Malone’s rotation. It’s one of the reasons Booth traded into the NBA Draft, got himself three picks and used the three on two wings and a point guard. So, the Nuggets knew in their heads that what turned out on Friday night was what it was always going to be. Indiana’s also offering a starting role, and that’s something Brown hasn’t had in his career.
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A team was almost certainly going to offer Brown its full midlevel exception, and as it turned out, the Pacers offered more than that. Because of the lack of Bird rights, Brown played himself out of Denver’s financial market. In Denver’s head, the Nuggets knew they were likely to lose Brown.
It became a classic head versus heart situation. What’s interesting is how much of a choice the Nuggets were able to make this, considering general manager Calvin Booth could offer just $7.8 million for 2023-24 because the Nuggets didn’t have Brown’s Bird rights. The most underrated aspect of his importance to the Nuggets, he essentially served as Denver’s backup point guard with Jamal Murray off the floor.Īs league sources confirmed to The Athletic, Brown agreed in principle to a two-year, $45 million deal with Indiana, a figure too lucrative for Brown and his agent Ty Sullivan of CAA to turn down. He was a Swiss Army knife with the ability to play three positions for head coach Michael Malone. He was a terrific defender and made big shots. His return, as a valuable veteran ball-handler, could soften the blow of Brown’s departure even though he played sparingly throughout the playoffs.There were times during the Nuggets’ playoff run that culminated in the franchise’s first title when Brown was their third-best player. The Nuggets also agreed to a two-year, $10 million deal with veteran point guard Reggie Jackson, league sources told The Post, which includes a player option in the second year. But his production playing alongside Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, not to mention how valuable he was in the NBA Finals, put him in a position to capitalize financially from his play. There’s also significant optimism about point guards Collin Gillespie and rookie Jalen Pickett and their potential contributions moving forward.ĭespite telling The Post that he wanted to stay in Denver the night the Nuggets clinched the title, and then teasing a return several days later at the parade, Brown couldn’t pass up the significant payday.īefore Friday’s verbal agreement, Brown had made around $15 million throughout his career. And in replacing him, the Nuggets are expected to rely on internal development from second-year forwards Christian Braun and Peyton Watson. Digital Replica Edition Home Page Close Menuĭenver renews cable television franchise with Comcast through 2028 to chagrin of sports fansīrown’s departure means the Nuggets lost their most productive bench player throughout their championship run.
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