Bruce Brown declines player option, will become free agent

Bruce Brown declines player option, will become free agent

Denver Nuggets swiss army knife Bruce Brown has declined his $6.8 million player option for the 2023-24 season and will become an unrestricted free agent, Shams Charania of The Athletic reported Wednesday.

Denver Nuggets G/F Bruce Brown Jr. is declining his $6.8 million player option for the 2023-24 season and will become a free agent, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Brown, a key member of the Nuggets title, faces decision of Denver return in free agency versus deal elsewhere.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 21, 2023

Brown, 26, was in the second year of a two-year, $13.3 million player option that he signed with the Nuggets last offseason with their taxpayer mid-level exception. He played an integral part in helping the Denver Nuggets clinch their first-ever NBA Title, averaging 11.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.1 steals, shooting 48.3 percent from the floor, 35.8 percent from 3-point range and 75.8 percent from the free-throw line.

In the playoffs, Brown posted averages of 12.0 points and 4.0 rebounds in 20 games, including 11.4 points and 4.4 rebounds on 45.7/36.8/72.7 shooting splits in five NBA Finals contests against the Miami Heat.

Since the Nuggets do not own his Bird Rights, he is eligible to sign a four-year extension beginning at $7.77 million. But if Brown signed just a one-year deal for that amount, he could leverage it into a four-year, $61 million extension with Denver the following offseason, beginning at $13.9 million.

Since Denver now has nine players for $162.9 million, it would likely be exempt from using its full mid-level exception — projected for about $12.2 million — to avoid being hard-capped, which prevents them from exceeding the $169 million tax apron. So it’s unlikely he signs for more than the aforementioned $7.8 million unless he gets plucked on the open market by a team with cap space or one willing to use their MLE.

Brown spoke out about wanting to re-sign in Denver after clinching their first title, even if it’s a lower dollar amount.

“I want to stay,” Brown said, according to Mike Singer of The Denver Post. “It’s a perfect fit. And money is not everything. The money will come. So I’m not worried about that right now.”

Nuggets head coach Michael Malone has, too.

"Is Brucey B going anywhere? Hell no! We're running this sh*t back! … Get loud!"

Nuggets coach Michael Malone is on one as he talks about Bruce Brown pic.twitter.com/lgSgJrh7P4

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) June 15, 2023

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