Stunning Bruce Brown admission proves he never should have left the Nuggets

The Denver Nuggets’ social media team posted a video of Bruce Brown “reintroducing” himself to the fans, in which he claimed, “I probably watched almost every single game since I left.” That’s an incredible revelation considering Brown has been gone for two years now, playing for the Pacers, Raptors, and Pelicans.

And yet, he still found time to watch every Nuggets game and keep up with the team on an everyday basis that he wasn’t even a part of. It’s clear that he wanted to come back as he signed his deal very quickly once free agency began after appearing courtside at Ball Arena for a playoff game.

But this video really makes it clear how much Bruce wanted to be back in Denver. He talked about how the city perfectly fits him and his cowboy persona. He mentioned the play style and expressed how badly he wants to win another championship.

He’s certainly saying all the right things, and for a guy who left Denver in free agency for more money, he’s done everything possible to win back the hearts of fans ever since. The lasting memory of him winning a championship in 2023 has never faded, and now his homecoming feels like a destiny of sorts.

Could Nuggets have won more titles with Brown in Denver?

Seeing how much Brown missed Denver and how badly he wanted to return, it’s impossible not to wonder what could have happened if he had never left in the first place. You obviously can’t blame him for taking a two-year, $45 million contract with the Pacers after playing on near-minimum deals for his whole career.

He earned that paycheck with his incredible play for the Nuggets, and the team couldn’t pay him anywhere close to that much. Brown did what he had to do, and no fan can ever hold that against him.

Still, it makes you wonder how good the team could have been if Brown had stayed. They would still have had their elite starting lineup in place, and the only major loss from the bench would have been Jeff Green. Considering the team didn’t really replace Brown or Green, the depth suffered, the young players weren’t quite ready, and the Nuggets faltered in the playoffs.

A year later, they lost Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and struck out in free agency with Dario Saric, and the team got even more flimsy. How much of a difference Brown could have made, we’ll never know, but it’s safe to say the bench would have been significantly better. 

Given how close the Nuggets came to winning against the Thunder in 2024 and the Timberwolves in 2023, a player like Brown swinging the margins in favor of the Nuggets is definitely not a crazy consideration by any means.