The New York Knicks are not expected to be major players in this summer’s free agent market as they are severely limited by the salary cap. However, the team still lacks depth, and one writer believes a versatile wing with championship pedigree could slide over to New York in a cheap deal.
Stefan Bondy of the New York Post wrote about three “low-cost options” for the Knicks to pursue, and one of them is guard/forward Bruce Brown.
Here is what Bondy wrote of the potential acquisition:
“The Knicks flirted with signing Brown the last time he hit free agency in 2023, and he’s since lost value after underwhelming stints in Indiana, Toronto and New Orleans. Brown still is in his prime at 28 years old and would bring backcourt defense to the backcourt bench. His 3-point shooting runs hot and cold.”
Brown most recently played for the New Orleans Pelicans this season after being traded in February from the Toronto Raptors in a blockbuster deal for Brandon Ingram. This was not the first blockbuster Brown has been thrown into in the past two years as he ended up in Toronto by way of trade from the Indiana Pacers when they acquired Pascal Siakam.
Prior to signing a two-year, $45 million with Indiana, Brown spent a year with the Denver Nuggets, where he played a key role on their 2023 NBA Championship team. In that postseason, Brown averaged 12.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.5 blocks as he shouldered a big defensive role while also serving as a secondary ball-handler.
Since leaving Denver, Brown’s production has tapered off a bit. Last year, he averaged 8.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.0 assists and saw his field goal percentage drop to 42.1%.
His role in New York could be more similar to what it was in Denver, and he could add some defensive versatility being able to guard all five positions. As the Knicks look to fill out their roster, he is certainly an intriguing option.
