2023 NBA Champion Forward Signs to the Nuggets
Two seasons ago, Bruce Brown and the Denver Nuggets rose to the mountaintop and became NBA Champions after defeating the Miami Heat in five games. After winning it all, Brown signed a two-year, $45 million deal with the Indiana Pacers. Three months into the new season, the 28-year-old forward, plus Jordan Nwora and Kira Lewis Jr., were traded to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for Pascal Siakam. A year later, the Raptors traded Brown, Kelly Olynyk, and multiple draft picks to the New Orleans Pelicans for all-star forward Brandon Ingram. Now a free agent, it’s been reported by Shams Charania that the 2023 NBA champion forward signed a one-year deal to return to the Nuggets.
Brown played at the University of Miami before declaring for the NBA Draft. During his sophomore season with the Hurricanes, he averaged 11 points, seven rebounds, and four assists. The Detroit Pistons selected him as the 42nd overall pick in the 2018 draft. Nearly two years in Detroit, the Pistons traded the future NBA champion to the Brooklyn Nets in a three-team deal. He spent two seasons in Brooklyn before signing with the Nuggets. During that season in Denver, Brown played 80 games, averaging 11 points, four rebounds, three assists, and a steal. The 28-year-old forward averaged 12 points a game during the playoffs, being a crucial piece off the Nuggets' bench in that championship run. Since becoming an NBA champion, Brown’s points per game have decreased over the past two seasons.
This past season, in 41 games with the Raptors and Pelicans, Brown averaged eight points, four rebounds, two assists, and a steal. He shot 42 percent from the field and 33 percent from three-point range. On March 15th, during a loss against the San Antonio Spurs, Brown put up 19 points, six rebounds, and six assists. As heads closer to the prime of his career, he’ll look to be a more crucial asset for the Nuggets, especially after being traded for two all-star caliber forwards over the past two seasons. Hopefully, the Nuggets will make Brown an important piece of their rotation as soon as the new season begins.
