The Denver Nuggets' reunion with Bruce Brown last offseason was more than a feel-good story about bringing a champion back to the Mile High City. The added depth he gave a roster that needed it was a plus, especially on a veteran's minimum. He didn't have the season he did in 2022-23, but he still put together a solid overall performance. Not enough for the team to re-sign him, though.
Brown went unsigned for most of the offseason before the Knicks scooped him up and signed him to a training-camp deal.
Though New York has a clear need for a third-string center, the former Nuggets champion has given the front office a tough decision, as SNY's Ian Begley reported on Monday that Brown "has put himself in a good position to make this roster" and that he's "impressed people internally."
Should the Brown hype make Denver think twice about letting him go? Surprisingly, no.
Nuggets' depth looks a lot better than expected
If the Nuggets hadn't been operating under financial constraints, they probably would've brought Brown back. He's durable, can fill different roles, knows the system, and, of course, has championship experience. By no means is he a bad option to have on the bench, especially for a team looking to make their repeat dreams a reality.
That's the Knicks. What the Nuggets needed, though, was to apparently shake things up and bring in new faces, like Alpha Diallo, who signaled that Brown wouldn't return to Denver, and Cam Whitmore, who's on a two-way contract but is already impressing in his new home.
You can't forget Tyus Jones, who isn't a newcomer, having spent the end of last season with the Nuggets, but he's still instilled confidence during preseason as the facilitator Denver needs behind Jamal Murray.
No one in Colorado has forgotten about Brown, and that never will be the case, given what he meant to the city during his time in Denver, but fans aren't already stuck wishing he were still around. They can be excited for what he can do in New York, without feeling a twinge of regret.
Nuggets made the right move to let Bruce Brown go
After Denver won its first title in franchise history in 2023, the Nuggets wanted to re-sign Brown, but he had earned a payday the front office couldn't match. That made his return even more special, giving both sides a chance to chase another championship. It was unfinished business.
At the end of the season, rather than risk another team swooping in to make Brown an offer the Nuggets couldn't match, Denver decided to use the space it had to go in a different direction, revamping the roster without a complete overhaul. The front office's moves around the edges have looked good so far.
From DeMar DeRozan's shotmaking to Diallo's defense, Jones' playmaking, and the potential of Whitmore and Ryan Nembhard, the Nuggets can feel good about their depth chart as the regular season approaches, rather than wishing they still had Brown.
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