Bruce Brown’s path to the Knicks has landed him squarely in the part of the NBA that feels the squeeze most.
With the regular season just two weeks away, Brown is still trying to win a roster spot in New York after free agency didn’t produce much traction. He played solid basketball for the Denver Nuggets and appeared in all 82 games, but that wasn’t enough to secure a major offer. Instead, he settled for an Exhibit-9 contract with the Knicks and is now trying to work his way onto the team.
The situation is complicated by the Knicks’ financial position. They have two open roster spots, but they’re only about $3.2 million below the second apron, which makes adding players a tricky business from a cap standpoint. Brown is trying to break through in a league setup that, in his view, has made life tougher for players in the middle.
“I'm sure there is (frustration). The new CBA is good for max guys, new free agents and rookie extension guys.
The middle guys, it kind of sucks for us. There's not a lot of people getting that full mid-level,” Brown said, via SNY Knicks on X.
“But that's just the way it is right now.”
The Nuggets could have brought Brown back on a minimum deal, but there has been no sign they plan to do that, particularly with Denver already above the second apron line.
Bruce Brown was asked if there's frustration among players with the second apron
— SNY Knicks (@sny_knicks) October 9, 2026
"I'm sure there is. The new CBA is good for max guys, new free agents and rookie extension guys. The middle guys, it kind of sucks for us. There's not a lot of people getting that full mid-level" pic.twitter.com/hVmrnZZSsH
It’s a sharp turn for Brown, who not long ago was one of the more coveted free agents available. He already secured a major payday when he signed a two-year, $45 million contract with the Indiana Pacers in 2023, so the pressure of the current market doesn’t hit him quite like it does some others in the league’s middle class.
Still, there’s a path back to another payday if he can make the Knicks and carve out a real role. If that happens, and if he becomes a meaningful piece in New York’s push to repeat as NBA champion, Brown could put himself in position to cash in again.
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