The Indiana Pacers are signing NBA champion Bruce Brown to a two-year, $45 million deal. The Denver Nuggets didn’t have enough money to re-sign Brown.
The Pacers have the third-most cap space this summer, trailing only the Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs. They could be big spenders this offseason since the franchise is motivated to add more talent around guards Tyrese Haliburton and Bennedict Mathurin.
Brown averaged 11.5 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.4 assists for the Nuggets in 2022-23 while shooting 48.3% from the field, 35.8% from beyond the arc and 75.8% from the free-throw line. In the 2023 playoffs against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat, Brown put up 12.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game.
A Boston native, Brown averaged 11.4 points, 4.4 boards and 1.0 assists in the NBA Finals versus the Heat. Denver beat Miami in five games to capture its first title in franchise history.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Bruce Brown, Indiana Pacers & Denver Nuggets Updates
Brown has career averages of 8.5 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.4 assists with the Detroit Pistons, Brooklyn Nets and Nuggets. He has improved his game every year he’s been in the NBA and it appears the Pacers really wanted to get him based on the lucrative offer they offered him.
Along with the Pacers, the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks were linked to Brown. Tim MacMahon of ESPN reported that Brown was going to meet with the Mavericks once free agency opened, but obviously, that didn’t happen.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Bruce Brown, Indiana Pacers & Denver Nuggets Updates
It’s going to be very fascinating to see if Brown can help the Pacers get back to the playoffs next season. It’s also going to be fun to watch Brown play with Haliburton, who averaged 20.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 10.4 assists this past season while shooting 49.0% from the field, 40.0% from beyond the arc and 87.1% from the free-throw line.
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