Unrestricted free agent Nuggets forward Bruce Brown plans to meet with the Mavericks at the start of free agency on Friday, reports Tim MacMahon of ESPN (Twitter link).
Many teams appear primed to pursue Brown, according to MacMahon (Twitter link), who anticipates his market to be around the $12.4MM non-taxpayer mid-level exception, if not higher. The Lakers are one suitor said to be confident about their chances. MacMahon adds that Brown may be open to taking a discount to return to the champs, who only have his Non-Bird rights available, which would cap them at a $7.8MM offer for next season.
The 6’4″ vet proved invaluable as a versatile, defense-first sixth man during Denver’s 16-4 run to the title this spring. Across 20 playoff games off the bench, he averaged 12.0 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 1.9 APG, 1.1 SPG and 0.5 BPG.
Here are more of the latest free agent rumors from around the league:
- After opting not to retain shooting guard Malik Beasley and center Mohamed Bamba, the Lakers now project to remain well below the $172MM tax apron for 2023/24, which will enable them to use the full $12.4MM non-taxpayer mid-level exception, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN, suggesting that Brown and Brook Lopez will be among Los Angeles’ targets. According to McMenamin (via Twitter), the Lakers may also consider adding more than one player with its mid-level exception money. In that scenario, point guard Dennis Schröder and shooting guard Eric Gordon could be targets, sources tell McMemamin.
- Gordon is looking to land with a contender that will have a defined rotation gig for his services, per Kelly Iko of The Athletic. Beyond the Lakers, sources tell The Athletic that the Grizzlies, Timberwolves, Bucks, Suns, and Trail Blazers have some interest.
- After declining to tender a qualifying offer to center Omer Yurtseven, the Heat don’t appear to be focused on trying to re-sign him to a minimum-salary deal, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald (Twitter link). “We’re grateful we got a chance to be there,” agent Keith Glass said, per Jackson. “We’ll try to find a place that values him and helps him reach his potential.”
- Free agent power forward Kyle Kuzma appears more likely to end up with the Rockets than the Kings, but Sacramento shouldn’t be ruled out entirely as a Kuzma landing spot, per James Ham of Kings Beat. Sources inform Ham that the Kings’ own incumbent free agent starting power forward, Harrison Barnes, is hoping to earn a deal that pays him $20MM annually.
Mavs current salary $103mm
They can give Brown 3 years $48mm?
Then sign and trade Irving to Suns?
You realize if they sign and trade Irving they have to take back the same amount of salary right? You are right though that the $12m MLE won’t cut it for Brown. Nuggets can just about match that over several years, since they’ll have early Bird rights next year and that means bigger raises than anyone else can offer. If you’re gonna snag him, you gotta go something like $16m first year, which means the only real threats are cap room teams like the Pacers.
Irving won’t be a sun. phx has to sign and trade both ayton and Payne away. Under new CBA and suns at 2nd apron, irving has to take a 3 year deal that pays him around 18m annually….
Yurt will be a great fit in Dallas!
Don’t see how Denver let’s Brown walk away.
Denver has to unless brown wants to play for 6m. Can’t even sign and trade him because again they can only offer him 6m
Yeah, owning his BR has the Nuggets capped at offering him just less than 8mil.
Yurtseven is one I thought might make it to Portland. Might make for a good cultural fit. But this would be yet another unproven youngster perfect for a rebuilding team… which ofc would be counter to the stated goals of Lillard + Cronin.