Getty Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Bruce Brown
The Dallas Mavericks will meet with an NBA champion once free agency opens at 6 PM ET on June 30, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN.
The Mavericks will meet with combo guard Bruce Brown, who becomes an unrestricted free agent on June 30 since he declined his 2023-24 player option with the Denver Nuggets.
Sources: Bruce Brown intends to meet with the Mavs soon after the opening of free agency. Brown is expected to have several suitors and has not ruled out a return to Denver despite the financial constraints. His market is $12.4M midlevel but Nuggets are limited to $7.8M.
Denver, while it would love to bring Brown back, doesn’t have the money to pay the Miami product what he could earn on the open market. Along with the Mavericks, the Los Angeles Lakers and Indiana Pacers are expected to heavily pursue Brown.
A Boston native, Brown averaged 11.5 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.4 assists for the Nuggets in 2022-23 while shooting 48.3% from the field, 35.8% from beyond the arc and 75.8% from the free-throw line. In the 2023 playoffs against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Phoenix Suns, Lakers and Miami Heat, Brown put up 12.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game.
The 26-year-old Brown averaged 11.4 points, 4.4 boards and 1.0 assists in the NBA Finals versus the Heat. Denver beat Miami in five games to capture its first title in franchise history.
Brown has career averages of 8.5 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.4 assists with the Detroit Pistons, Brooklyn Nets and Nuggets. He was teammates with Mavericks All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving in Brooklyn.
Kyrie Irving to Meet With Mavericks & Suns
Irving is expected to meet with the Mavericks and Suns once free agency opens on June 30, according to NBA insider Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report.
The Houston Rockets, who have over $60 million in cap space, could seek a meeting with Irving as well.
“Star point guard Kyrie Irving is expected to meet with the Phoenix Suns along with the Dallas Mavericks and possibly other teams when NBA free agency begins on June 30, league sources tell TNT/Bleacher Report,” Haynes wrote. “The Houston Rockets could seek a meeting as well, according to sources. Meetings are expected to take place in Los Angeles, sources say.”
Irving and Suns star small forward Kevin Durant are close friends. They were teammates on the Nets and remain pals despite Irving requesting a trade from the Nets this past season and getting dealt to the Mavericks.
Dallas is still considered the favorite to re-sign Irving, who is eligible for a five-year, $272 million max contract. The eight-time All-Star averaged 27.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists in 20 games with the Mavericks this past season.
Irving has career averages of 23.4 points, 3.9 rebounds and 5.7 assists. Both Dallas superstar point-forward Luka Doncic and head coach Jason Kidd want Irving back next season, league sources told Heavy Sports.
Mavericks Fully Guarantee Reggie Bullock’s 2023-24 Salary
The Mavericks have fully guaranteed shooting guard Reggie Bullock’s 2023-24 salary, according to NBA insider Marc Stein.
Bullock will make $10.5 million next season. He’s in the final year of a three-year, $30 million contract he signed with the Mavericks in the summer of 2021.
“As late-night readers probably saw, I reported on Wednesday night that Reggie Bullock’s contract for next season with the Mavericks is now fully guaranteed at $10.5 million,” Stein wrote. “That figure would have dropped to $5.5 million had Dallas waived Bullock before 5 PM ET on Wednesday.”
Bullock appeared in 78 games for the Mavericks this past season. He averaged 7.2 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists while shooting 40.9% from the field, 38.0% from beyond the arc and 70.3% from the free-throw line.