Getty Bruce Brown (left) is back on a bargain contract with the Nets.
The Nets clearly came into the summer with one goal in mind. OK, two goals. Maybe three.
But we knew they would want to get healthy and give a contract extension to star forward Kevin Durant. The extension (four years and $198 million) is done and the health is a wait-and-see matter. The third item on the list: bolster the team’s defense. Keeping wing Bruce Brown Jr. was always going to be a big part of that.
Brown helped the team out, too, by sticking around on a one-year, $4.7 million deal, which amounted to the qualifying offer the team gave him as a restricted free agent. There was speculation that he could land a deal for the midlevel exception this summer, worth $9.5 million.
Restricted FA Bruce Brown Jr., is signing the one-year qualifying offer of $4.7M to return to the Brooklyn Nets, his agent Ty Sullivan of @CAA_Basketball tells ESPN. Brown can become an unrestricted free agent next summer. He’s played important role both as starter and off bench.
Brown’s explanation, per the New York Post’s Brian Lewis, gave some insight on his bitterness over the seven-game loss to the Bucks in the conference semifinals in June, as well where he sees the team heading this year.
“I was real salty all summer, I’m going to be honest,” Brown said. “I didn’t watch no basketball, I was just pissed that we lost. I just can’t wait to get back there and then win.”
Brown Worked Well With Brooklyn’s Big Three
Brown, who turns 25 this week, landed with the Nets from Detroit as part of a massive three-team deal that, among other things, sent the Pistons’ Luke Kennard to the Clippers as well as Saddiq Bey to the Detroit and Landry Shamet to the Nets. Brown was hardly the biggest name in the deal, but he has proven to be a reliable contributor, especially on the defensive end.
Brown averaged 8.8 points and 5.4 rebounds for the Nets last season. Brooklyn would like to see him improve his 3-point shot, as he made only 28.8% last year. But he took very few, only 0.9 per game. He shot 55.6% from the field in general with the Nets, getting most of his buckets on cuts to the rim and offensive rebounds. Brown shot 70.0% from within three feet, according to Basketball-Reference.com, taking 51.3% of his shots from inside.
That was a big change from his two seasons in Detroit, where he took only 39.7% of his shots from within three feet. That was, of course, a function of Brown getting easy looks playing alongside the Nets’ Big Three.
Brown knows that, when that trio—Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden—is healthy, Brooklyn is close to unstoppable. The Nets had the three healthy for only six of the 12 playoff games they played. They were 5-1 when healthy.
“If we were healthy, I think everybody knows what would’ve happened,” he said. “So, this year, try to be healthy and continue to have the same mindset each game throughout the season and eventually win this thing.”
Net Have Bulked Up the Perimeter Defense
In addition to bringing back Brown, the Nets made a defensive-minded move on draft night, adding bulldog Suns point guard Jevon Carter in a trade for Shamet, along with first-round pick Day’Ron Sharpe. They also added pesky point guard Patty Mills from the Spurs, who can fill in at either guard spot, like Carter.
The Nets added James Johnson, a burly wing who can guard every position on the floor and was likely signed with an eye on Lakers star LeBron James—Johnson has the size, build and attitude to handle a playoff assignment like James. Where the Nets are East favorite, James’ Lakers are the favorites in the West.
The Nets brought on another defensive-minded wing this summer, signing De’Andre Bembry to a one-year deal. Brooklyn struggled with perimeter defense last season and clearly shored up that side of things.