(Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
The Denver Nuggets are fresh off winning an NBA championship, but that doesn’t mean they get to rest on their laurels now.
The offseason is officially underway, and they need to find ways to get better ahead of their season as defending champions or at least prevent a way of getting any worse.
That’s why it was such a big blow to hear the news about Bruce Brown Jr. declining his $6.8 million player option for the upcoming campaign, according to Shams Charania.
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
Still, this is hardly a surprise for anyone paying attention.
Brown was one of the biggest bargains of last year’s free agency.
He had broken out with the Brooklyn Nets as an elite defender and never-ending source of energy, guarding one through five and thriving as a slasher.
He took his game up another notch as soon as he arrived in Mile High, posting career-highs in scoring and becoming an integral part of the team’s success thanks to his defense and unmatched energy.
Unfortunately for the reigning NBA champions, they might not be able to keep him around for the long run anymore.
The new CBA makes it quite difficult to have several guys under heavy-money contracts, and they already have most of their core guys looked in for at least the next couple of seasons.
Also, with Jamal Murray’s impending contract extension, working the numbers out for Brown will be almost impossible.
Brown played himself into a big contract with a contending team, and his future may be far away from Colorado.
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