Bruce Brown won a championship with the Denver Nuggets last season, and his excellent playoff performances made him an attractive free agent. The Indiana Pacers scooped him up in the offseason on a two-year contract that was richer than what the Nuggets could have offered.
That means Brown is not with the Nuggets anymore, meaning he won't be with the team for their championship ceremony tonight. Denver is handing out championship rings and raising a banner inside Ball Arena.
Brown's Pacers play in Indianapolis tomorrow night, so he can't be in attendance. But he will be watching and celebrating. "Actually just texted the guys. I'm going to be watching, I'm going to be cheering them on. Those are my guys," Brown said on Tuesday of the Nuggets. He played a crucial role in all 20 of Denver's postseason games last year.
His contributions were vital, and Nuggets general manager Calvin Booth called losing Brown a "big blow." With Indiana, he will be an important, versatile piece.
The 27-year old guard said that he is excited to see what the rings actually look like — he hasn't gotten a chance to see them yet. Instead, he will get his on January 14 of 2024 when Indiana heads to Denver for a regular season battle.
"I get my own little ceremony," Brown joked. He is buying a house in Boston, his hometown, and he noted that he will keep the ring there once he has it.
Brown averaged 7.0 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game in the preseason. The blue and gold will rely on him in many different roles, just like the Nuggets did. He averaged 12.0 points and 4.0 rebounds per game for Denver last season.
"We still have our group text going. We text probably every day," Brown said of his former team. They're a close group. "So when the guys act like they don't like me, they love me."
The Nuggets championship ceremony begins in about an hour. They take on the Los Angeles Lakers to tip off the NBA season once the celebration concludes.
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