Denver Nuggets guard Bruce Brown had options — which included the Los Angeles Lakers — after winning the NBA Finals in 2023. While Brown regrets leaving the Nuggets in free agency for a deal with the Indiana Pacers, he recently revealed that he had received an offer from the Lakers.
Brown says the Lakers offered a starting position on a deal worth $50 million, he said, per DNVR Nuggets.
“I was going to the Lakers after the championship. I was going to the Lakers,” Brown said. “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 got guys where they went to the Western Conference Finals. I want to win again.
“I can be the starting point guard for this, and all I have to do is give guys the ball and get the hell out of the way. Same thing I was doing here, and I was like, I'm going to do it. I was going there on a three-year deal.”
However, Brown's agent received a counteroffer from the Indiana Pacers shortly afterwards.
“It was so quick because as soon as I got off the phone, it was basically going to be announced as soon as you say yes. So, I called my financial advisor. I'm like, we gotta find places in LA, which is super expensive. But it's a good thing I lived in New York. So, he was telling me about my budget. As soon as I get off the phone, my agent is calling again. He's like, “Hold on, we got a call from Indy. It might be a crazy deal.” Hang up.
“Calls me again, he's like two years, $40 [million]. I'm like, ‘what the f***? What do you mean, two years, $40 million? Where do we sign?' Let's do it.”
"I was going to the Lakers. … It was 3-year, $50 million."
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
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) December 18, 2025
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Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton called Brown to let him know how eager he was for his arrival amid final contract negotiations. The Pacers and Brown eventually agreed to a two-year, $45 million deal. The Lakers, who added a third year, offered a three-year, $50 million contract.
Bruce Brown admits regret for leaving Nuggets in free agency
Nuggets guard Bruce Brown (11) and Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard (2) in the second half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse
Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
After a trade to the Raptors in 2023-24 and to the Pelicans last season, Bruce Brown agreed to a one-year deal to return to the Nuggets over the summer. Back in a Nuggets uniform for the first time since winning a championship in 2023, Brown admitted that he regrets leaving, he said, per TSN Sports' Kayla Greg.
“Media day they asked me, ‘when did you think about getting to Denver?' And I said, when I got to Toronto, and that wasn't, like I didn't want to go to Toronto. I went to Indy. I finally chose where I could go, and three months in, they trade me, and I'm like, ‘where the f*** did I go? I could have stayed in Denver and been happy in Toronto,” Brown said.
While Brown enjoyed his time with the Raptors, he was disappointed when the Pacers traded him, which made him think he should never have left the Nuggets in the first place.