The Denver Nuggets are making serious moves this offseason in their quest to return to championship form — and they just bolstered their backcourt with two big additions.
The team officially announced the signing of two key veterans: Bruce Brown, a fan favorite and 2023 NBA Champion, and Tim Hardaway Jr., a proven scorer and 12-year NBA veteran known for his time with the Mavericks and Knicks.
Bruce Brown Returns to Denver
After helping the Nuggets win their first NBA title in 2023, Bruce Brown is back in Mile High blue. Since that championship run, Brown played for the Indiana Pacers, Toronto Raptors, and New Orleans Pelicans — being traded twice in two years — before making his way back to the team where he had his career-best season.
Denver made the announcement on Wednesday:
“The Denver Nuggets have signed free agent guard/forward Bruce Brown to a contract,”
Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Ben Tenzer and Executive Vice President of Player Personnel Jonathan Wallace announced today.
The team’s statement continued:
“Brown, 6-4, 202, has appeared in 457 career games (268 starts) over seven seasons with Detroit, Brooklyn, Denver, Indiana, Toronto, and New Orleans, averaging 8.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.4 assists in 24.9 minutes per game. He has also appeared in 40 career playoff games (11 starts), averaging 10.0 points and 4.0 rebounds per game.”
During the 2022–23 season with Denver, Brown averaged career-highs in multiple categories, including 11.5 points, 3.4 assists, 1.08 steals, and 28.5 minutes per game, playing a key role in the Nuggets’ title run.
“Brown returns to Denver, where he spent the 2022-23 season and averaged career-highs… while helping lead the Nuggets to their first NBA Championship in the organization’s history.”
A Boston native, Brown was selected 42nd overall by the Detroit Pistons in the 2018 NBA Draft and previously played college ball at the University of Miami. He’ll be wearing #11 again for the Nuggets.
Tim Hardaway Jr. Brings Veteran Scoring to the Mix
The Nuggets didn’t stop there. On the same day, they also announced the signing of Tim Hardaway Jr., a veteran guard who spent the last six seasons with the Dallas Mavericks and played in the 2024 NBA Finals.
“The Denver Nuggets have signed free agent guard Tim Hardaway Jr. to a contract,”
read the official release from Tenzer and Wallace.
Hardaway brings a much-needed scoring punch off the bench and is expected to provide spacing, shot creation, and veteran leadership. Over his 12-year career, the sharpshooter has played for the Knicks, Hawks, and Mavericks, building a reputation as a dependable perimeter threat.
The 32-year-old averaged double figures in scoring in nearly every season of his career and was a key piece in Dallas’ deep playoff run in 2024, where he hit several clutch shots from beyond the arc.
🧩 Nuggets’ New Backcourt Core
With Bruce Brown’s versatility and Hardaway’s scoring touch, the Nuggets have rebuilt a backcourt rotation that had grown thin in recent years. These moves come alongside the additions of Cam Johnson and Jonas Valanciunas, as Denver looks to reload around Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray for another deep playoff run.
One thing is clear: Denver isn’t sitting still. They’re adding experience, toughness, and proven postseason talent in hopes of recapturing championship glory.
