Bruce Brown Opens Up About Lakers Offer, Pacers Deal, and Regret Leaving Nuggets
When Bruce Brown helped the Denver Nuggets hoist the Larry O'Brien Trophy in 2023, he had the kind of offseason options most role players dream about. Fresh off a championship run, Brown became one of the most sought-after free agents on the market - and the Los Angeles Lakers came calling with a major offer.
But in a twist that even surprised Brown himself, he ended up in Indiana. Now, back in a Nuggets jersey, Brown is opening up about the whirlwind decision-making process that took him away from Denver - and why he wishes he’d never left.
The Lakers Came Strong - and Early
According to Brown, the Lakers didn’t waste any time once free agency opened. The pitch? A starting role, a $50 million contract over three years, and the chance to run alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis on a team fresh off a Western Conference Finals appearance.
“I was going to the Lakers after the championship,” Brown recalled. “Free agency started, and they called me.
Darvin Ham is the head coach. And they wanted me to be the starting point guard.
I got LeBron, I got AD… I want to win again.”
From Brown’s perspective, the fit made sense. He’d be asked to play a familiar role - distribute the ball, defend, and let the stars cook.
“All I have to do is give guys the ball and get the hell out of the way,” he said. “Same thing I was doing here [in Denver].
I was like, I’m going to do it.”
The plan was set. Brown was ready to make the move to L.A. and had even started looking for places to live. But then came the call that changed everything.
Indiana’s Surprise Offer
Just as Brown was preparing to commit to the Lakers, his agent reached out with news: the Indiana Pacers had entered the picture - and they weren’t playing around. “We got a call from Indy. It might be a crazy deal,” Brown recalled being told.
That “crazy deal” turned out to be a two-year, $40 million offer - a number that made Brown stop in his tracks. “I’m like, ‘What the f***?
What do you mean, two years, $40 million? Where do we sign?’
Let’s do it.”
Ultimately, the Pacers upped the offer even more, agreeing to a two-year, $45 million contract. While the Lakers’ offer included a third year and slightly more total money, the Pacers’ short-term deal gave Brown more flexibility - and a bigger annual paycheck.
Tyrese Haliburton, the Pacers’ franchise point guard, even reached out personally to make his pitch during the final stages of negotiation. It was enough to close the deal.
The Fallout - And Regret
But just months into his time in Indiana, things took a turn. The Pacers traded Brown to the Toronto Raptors during the 2023-24 season, a move that blindsided him.
“I finally chose where I could go, and three months in, they trade me,” Brown said. “And I’m like, ‘Where the f*** did I go?’
I could have stayed in Denver and been happy in Toronto.”
"I was going to the Lakers. ... It was 3-year, $50 million."
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) December 18, 2025
Bruce Brown says he almost left the Nuggets to play with LeBron James and Anthony Davis after winning the championship in 2023 😲
(via @DNVR_Nuggets)pic.twitter.com/tlPFQ0mKzU
Though he appreciated his stint in Toronto, the trade left a bitter taste. Brown had left a championship team in Denver for what he thought was a stable opportunity in Indiana - only to be moved again before he could settle in.
Eventually, Brown found himself on the move once more, landing with the New Orleans Pelicans before the 2024-25 season. But the pull of Denver never went away. This past summer, he signed a one-year deal to return to the Nuggets - a full-circle moment that brought him back to the team where he played his best basketball.
Looking Back, Looking Forward
Now back in Denver, Brown isn’t hiding how he feels about the path he took. “Media day, they asked me, ‘When did you think about getting to Denver?’
And I said, when I got to Toronto,” Brown admitted. The regret is real - not because of Toronto or New Orleans, but because he left a system and a culture that fit him perfectly.
Brown’s journey is a reminder of how unpredictable NBA free agency can be - and how quickly situations can change. The money, the role, the city - it all matters.
But so does fit. And for Bruce Brown, it turns out the best fit might’ve been the one he already had.
Now back in the Mile High City, Brown has a chance to write a new chapter with the Nuggets - and maybe, just maybe, pick up where he left off.