The Denver Nuggets should be considered one of the big winners of free agency thus far, making two incredibly solid moves under their new front office, featuring Ben Tenzer and Jonathan Wallace. The first move was a blockbuster, acquiring Cam Johnson by trading away Michael Porter Jr. and a 1st, but then they signed Bruce Brown, which was also huge:
Free agent Bruce Brown Jr. has agreed to a one-year deal with the Denver Nuggets, sources tell ESPN. The 2023 NBA champion for the Nuggets returns to Denver. CAA's Ty Sullivan and Steven Heumann finalized the deal tonight with the Nuggets. pic.twitter.com/YZV094pUs0
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2025
Brown is a legend and fan-favorite of so many Nuggets fans for not just being a top 6 player on Denver through their NBA championship run, but also for the way that he embraced Colorado as a state and Denver as a city. He has been hinting at a return to the Nuggets for what feels like over a year, but that intensified over the last several months.
Now Brown will lead the Nuggets' bench and be able to spot-start much like he did in his lone season with Denver back in 2022-2023. The roster looks much improved already with Brown on the team, and this move was a great statement by the front office in that they are going to be right in the mix for another title.
Great vibes aside, what objective grade does the Brown signing earn?
Bruce Brown signing a vet minimum, not a TPMLE, results in an A grade
Everyone and their mom in Denver wanted Brown back in the Mile High City, but many thought it would be on the Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception (TPMLE) for roughly 5.6 million. Instead, it turns out that Brown was willing to sign back with the Nuggets on a veteran minimum, which means the team can still acquire another player with that mid-level exception. This is a steal and an A grade.
Had Brucie signed on the TPMLE, this grade would still be favorable with a B+ or A- grade, but the fact that it was a veteran minimum deal makes this a steal. The Nuggets already know that he fits well within the system, works well with Murray and Jokic, and the only friction (if you can even call it that) that was ever noticeable at all with Brown was with Michael Porter Jr., who was traded.
After his previous run with the Nuggets, Brown secured a massive payday, but that resulted in him suiting up for three different teams in the span of two years as he jumped from the Indiana Pacers to the Toronto Raptors, to the New Orleans Pelicans. Brown will surely be excited to stay in the same city for a full season as he rejoins the Nuggets.
There are still moves to be made by this freshly constructed front office, but not a soul can be upset about how they’ve handled the offseason so far.