The NBA’s trade season is about to really get going as almost every player in the league will be trade-eligible once December 15th hits. Notably, signees from the most recent offseason can be dealt starting on the 15th of next month, so, for the Nuggets, that means they’ll officially be able to move newcomers, Bruce Brown and Tim Hardaway Jr.
But Nuggets fans needn’t worry as Brown and THJ aren’t going anywhere. Brown may be a backup on a minimum contract, but he’s a fan-favorite, and his return to Denver seemed almost written in the stars. He made a big deal about wanting to come back and has great chemistry with this entire franchise.
Brucie B was a key cog on the 2023 title team, but played so well that the Nuggets couldn’t afford to keep him. He got a massive deal in free agency from the Pacers, but was quickly dealt to Toronto in the Pascal Siakam deal.
Brown made little sense on a young, rebuilding Raptors team, and a year later, he was shipped to New Orleans in the Brandon Ingram trade. Between injuries and toiling away in small markets on non-competitive teams, it almost feels like Brown hasn’t even played since leaving Denver.
Neither Brown nor Nuggets want second divorce
And that’s probably a big reason why he was so excited to come back. On the other hand, the Nuggets were just as eager to see Brown return. The bench has been a disaster since he left, and to be able to land such a solid, veteran player, who has already proven to fit well with this team and in this city, for that price, was a no-brainer.
That all remains true today, and may be more paramount than ever with early-season injuries to Christian Braun and Aaron Gordon. The Nuggets need Brown, and they couldn’t be happier to have him. There’s absolutely no reason to seek out a trade, and considering financial limitations, the idea that they could upgrade the team by swapping Brown for someone else on a minimum contract is almost unfathomable.
For his value, specifically to the Nuggets, it just makes zero sense. Now, in the unlikely scenario that a star player becomes available, and almost falls into the Nuggets’ lap, and the only way the deal gets done is by including Brown, then sure, they could trade him.
But the chances of that happening are slim to none, and even in that scenario, it’s hard to imagine the deal getting done. The moral of the story is that Brown and the Nuggets both regret his first departure. Neither side is going to make the same mistake again, at least not any time soon. Bruce Brown is here to stay.