Bruce Brown has spent most of the offseason waiting for his next opportunity after spending 2025-26 with the Denver Nuggets. The assumption was that he'd land with another contender, and that proved true: he'll compete for a spot on the Knicks' final roster after signing an Exhibit 9 deal with New York on Wednesday.
Denver chose not to bring Brown back, opting to retool its bench with new faces, like Alpha Diallo, whose signing signified that Bruce likely wouldn't return, not just because the Nuggets posted a graphic of the newcomer wearing No. 11. Taking a swing on the 2025-26 EuroLeague DPOY at a team-friendly price was a no-brainer. It was a two-birds-one-stone kind of thing.
As it turns out, letting Brown go could benefit him more than staying with the Nuggets. Signing with the Knicks, though on a non-guaranteed deal, will let him try to carve out a spot and help New York in its quest to repeat. His two-way play and versatility could help him get the nod over veterans on training camp deals: John Konchar, Ochai Agbaji, James Wiseman, and Drew Eubanks.
The Knicks set out this offseason with a goal of avoiding the second tax apron, as owner James Dolan made clear, but if they feel two of the above players are worth keeping through the regular season, they can trade one of their other players to open up space. Brown can make a pretty good case.
Bruce Brown signs Exhibit 9 deal with Knicks
Brown is three years removed from helping the Nuggets win their first franchise title in 2023, when he averaged 11.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.1 steals in 28.5 minutes across 81 games.
Last season in Denver, his production wasn't as high, as Brown averaged 7.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.0 steals in 24.4 minutes across 82 games, but he did shoot 38.5% from three, the highest percentage for him since the 2021-22 season when he shot 40.4% from deep with the Nets.
Where Brown can stand out with the Knicks isn't just in his scoring off the bench, but because of his ability to be a plug-and-play guy who can do a little bit of everything. His gritty style of play aligns with what New York needs, similar to what it already has in Josh Hart — a winning player whose contributions go beyond the box score.
Brown's durability could give him an edge, too, giving Mike Brown a reliable option he knows he can turn to. When one of the Knicks' wings needs to take a night off, Bruce can step up.
Sometimes you have to wait longer than you'd like for the right situation to arise, and that seems to be the case with Brown and New York. He can help the Knicks overcome their championship hangover that translates into regular-season lapses.
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