Latest news with #BruceBrown
Yahoo
12-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
"The formula is there, I think we just have to figure it out and adapt" - Cameron Johnson believes the Nuggets are a legit contender
"The formula is there, I think we just have to figure it out and adapt" - Cameron Johnson believes the Nuggets are a legit contender originally appeared on Basketball Network. When the Denver Nuggets' series against the Oklahoma City Thunder wrapped after seven intense games, Nuggets fans were left with more questions than answers. For the second year in a row, the team exited in the second round after seven games, far from the standard Nikola Jokic and company are aiming for. Advertisement Suffocated by large contracts for Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr. and Jokic, the Nuggets didn't have much room to operate. But newly-appointed GM duo Ben Tenzer and Jon Wallace made the most of it in their rookie offseason. MPJ was traded for Cameron Johnson, freeing up nearly $17 million in cap space. That move allowed Denver to secure deals for Jonas Valanciunas and Tim Hardaway Jr., while championship team member Bruce Brown had already rejoined the squad earlier in the offseason. Johnson and Hardaway Jr. recently joined the Old Man and The Three podcast to talk about the new-look Nuggets. "Like Tim said, the formula is there. I think we just have to figure it out and adapt, add whatever we can add, and keep it rolling," Johnson admitted. "Obviously, we have to go in there and establish relationships with these guys because we're gonna win together, lose together and everything in between. Just try to establish that team camaraderie as soon as possible, be ourselves and compete." Advertisement Proven additions It's hard to predict exactly how the new pieces will fit into a completely new system, but one thing's clear — Jokic is the type of player you can build any system around. Both Johnson and Hardaway have proven themselves in multiple teams and systems, and their playing styles should complement Joker's. They're elite catch-and-shoot threats from beyond the arc, something Denver badly lacked last season. Former Boston Celtics player Brian Scalabrine also believes Denver is right back in the title conversation with Johnson in the mix because he makes half the money MPJ does and, in his eyes, is a better fit. "All it cost them was a 2032 unprotected pick. If they're still good in 2032 — which, who knows what 2032 looks like — they might pay the price for that. But in the meantime, that's a championship roster right there," Scal said. Advertisement Related: "You just hired Mike Brown, who has been to a Finals with LeBron" - Nick Wright urges Knicks to trade for LeBron James Denver should be better than last year The one concern for Nuggets fans? Johnson's injury history. He's never played more than 66 games in a season — and that was four years ago. Over the last three seasons, he's missed 91 games. For comparison, MPJ, whose injury history was heavily scrutinized, missed just four games in the past two seasons, making him Denver's most consistently available starter in that span. If health is on their side, the Nuggets should be better than last year. Valanciunas is arguably the best backup center Jokic has ever had. They added two excellent shooters — something they desperately needed after ranking just 28th in the league last season with 12.0 made threes per game — and brought back veteran Brown, someone who knows this locker room inside and out. Advertisement Despite initial skepticism, Tenzer and Wallace seem to have pulled off a masterclass of an offseason — but the court will always be the only true measure of any front office move. Related: Michael Porter Jr. credits Michael Malone for jumpstarting his NBA career: "He threw me into the fire in the playoffs as a rookie" This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 12, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
12-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Peyton Watson Sends Clear Message to Nuggets' New Additions Amid Summer League
Peyton Watson Sends Clear Message to Nuggets' New Additions Amid Summer League originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Denver Nuggets have done all they can to close the gap on the Oklahoma City Thunder in the rest for Western Conference, and by extension NBA, supremacy. Peyton Watson has surely taken notice of the changes. Advertisement A masterful stroke was executed to start free agency. The Nuggets added Cameron Johnson from the Brooklyn Nets, dumping Michael Porter Jr.'s big contract at the expense of a future first-round pick. Suddenly, the Nuggets had wiggle room to boost the supporting cast. They proceeded to acquire Bruce Brown, Jonas Valanciunas, and Tim Hardaway Jr. Things started looking incredibly promising in the Mile High City. USA: Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) drives at Denver Nuggets forward Peyton Watson (8) in the second quarter at Ball Arena.© Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images Denver will also get the added bonus of finally throwing DaRon Holmes II into the mix as well. The 2024 first-round pick missed all of last season with an Achilles injury. Watson was caught at Summer League action recently. In an interview, the Nuggets bench wing admitted this feels like a great time for the franchise. Advertisement "Yeah, I think so for sure," Watson responded to whether excitement is in the Denver air. "It's an exciting time for the fans, for sure. It's an exciting time for us with the team as well. We got some new guys. [They're] guys who got a chance to help us with big things, win some games this year." Watson added, "I'm looking forward to it, looking forward to meeting them, looking forward to competing with them, looking forward to going at them in training camp. It's going to be a fun year." The 22-year-old could not have done a better job capturing the emotions in Denver right now. 2025-26 projects to be one of the most hopeful years for the organization since their championship season. Advertisement This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 12, 2025, where it first appeared.
Newsweek
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
Best NBA Win Total Over/Under Bets For 2025-26: Western Conference
After bolstering their supporting cast with deals for Cam Johnson, Bruce Brown and Tim Hardaway Jr., can the Nuggets win more than 53.5 regular-season games in 2025-26? After bolstering their supporting cast with deals for Cam Johnson, Bruce Brown and Tim Hardaway Jr., can the Nuggets win more than 53.5 regular-season games in 2025-26? Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. With most of the top names on the move this summer having chosen where they'll spend the 2025-26 season, we're on the cusp of a quiet time of year for NBA fans. But with win totals for each NBA team now available at multiple sportsbooks, now is a great time to take a stab at A) which teams we expect to exceed their expectations for the 2025-26 regular season and B) which ones might be at risk of going under their totals. 2025-26 NBA Western Conference Win Total Odds Without further ado, below are the 2025-26 NBA regular season win totals at DraftKings and FanDuel for every team in the Western Conference. DK FD Thunder 62.5 (o-110; u-110) 62.5 (o-122; u-110) Rockets 55.5 (o-110; u-110) 54.5 (o-128; u-102) Nuggets 53.5 (o-115; u-105) 53.5 (o-110; u-122) Timberwolves 50.5 (o-115; u-105) 50.5 (o-102; u-130) Lakers 47.5 (o-115; u-105) 48.5 (o-118; u-112) Warriors 47.5 (o-105; u-115) 46.5 (o-114; u-114) Clippers 46.5 (o-120; u+100) 47.5 (o-120; u-110) Spurs 43.5 (o-110; u-110) 43.5 (o-114; u-118) Grizzlies 40.5 (o-120; u+100) 40.5 (o-110; u-120) Mavericks 39.5 (o+100; u-120) 40.5 (o-122; u-108) Kings 36.5 (o-105; u-115) 36.5 (o-106; u-125) Blazers 33.5 (o-120; u+100) 32.5 (o-114; u-114) Pelicans 31.5 (o-110; u-110) 30.5 (o-114; u-114) Suns 30.5 (o-110; u-110) 32.5 (o-114; u-114) Jazz 18.5 (o-120; u+100) 17.5 (o-125; u-106) Best 2025-26 Western Conference Win Total Bets Below are our three favorite 2025-26 NBA Western Conference over/under win total bets. Denver Nuggets Over 53.5 Wins (-110 at FD) The Nuggets' offseason has gotten off to a strong start, even if the deal if for much-needed backup big man Jonas Valanciunas ends up falling through. The situation with Valanciunas -- who has entertained playing for Greek club Panathinaikos instead of Denver, but is expected to confirm his Nuggets contract soon, according to veteran NBA reporter Marc Stein -- deserves its own piece. Assuming that deal gets finalized, though, he would fill a huge need as a quality backup behind Nikola Jokic. What do we know is that Denver landed several quality complementary pieces in sharpshooting wing Cam Johnson (via a trade that sent away Michael Porter Jr.), veteran 2023 NBA champ Bruce Brown and proven shooter Tim Hardaway Jr. Following those moves, it's not hard to see a step forward from this Nuggets team, which won 50 games in 2024-25 despite A) a short bench, B) a lack of quality 3-point shooting -- the Nuggets were 28th in the league in made 3s in the regular season and C) Aaron Gordon and Jamal Murray missing a combined 46 games to injuries. Remember, the Nuggets won at least 53 games in both 2022-23 (53-29) and 2023-24 (57-25), and the supporting cast around Jokic in 2025-26 could be the deepest, and best, it has ever been. San Antonio Spurs Over 43.5 Wins (-110 at DK) Is it just me, or do the Spurs have a great chance to blow past this number? Obviously, there's a huge (7-foot-3, to be exact) if in San Antonio, but a healthy Victor Wembanyama could easily keep the Spurs in the thick of the Western Conference playoff picture. San Antonio won 34 games in 2024-25 despite Wembanyama playing just 46 games. While it was just 23-29 after a loss to the Celtics on February 12 marked the final game of Year 2 for Wembanyama, this squad's upside is undeniable. Keep in mind that Wembanyama and De'Aaron Fox only shared the court for five games last year, with Fox playing in just 17 contests as a Spur after joining the team in February. If the Spurs have Fox and Wembanyama together, that duo could combine with 6-foot-8 wings Jeremy Sochan and Harrison Barnes, 6-5 guard Devin Vassell and 6-6 PG Stephon Castle to form one of the biggest, most athletic lineups in the NBA. With any health luck and steps forward from either 2024 Rookie of the Year Wemby and Castle, the 2025 ROY, the Spurs have a real chance to make the playoffs this season. Speaking of which, the Spurs' odds to make the playoffs* (-135 at DK as of July 11) aren't exactly juicy, but they're certainly tempting, even as the West seemingly gets better every year. *Note: these odds are "to make the playoffs after the play-in tournament" Memphis Grizzlies Under 40.5 Wins (+100 at DK) Though Memphis has won at least 48 regular-season games in three of the last four years, this team could suffer a significant step back in 2025-26. The Grizzlies started 2024-25 strong. In fact, they were 36-18 entering the All-Star break in mid-February. But the last few months of the season were rough. Actually, that might be an understatement following a 12-16 post-All Star break finish that resulted in the late-season firing of head coach Taylor Jenkins. With mercurial PG Ja Morant at a crossroads entering Year 7 on the heels of two up-and-down, largely disappointing seasons, the Grizzlies are as ripe for a letdown in 2025-26 as anyone in the Western Conference. There's also no denying that Memphis will sorely miss Desmond Bane, who was arguably its best two-player over the last few years before being traded to the Magic in June. Newsweek may earn an affiliate commission if you sign up through the links in this article. See the sportsbook operator's terms and conditions for important details. Sports betting operators have no influence over newsroom coverage.
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Nuggets Make Announcement on Former Champion During Free Agency
Nuggets Make Announcement on Former Champion During Free Agency originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Denver Nuggets have been busy making moves, and not just in the offseason. The first of the significant moves came at an alarming time, when they chose to fire both head coach Michael Malone and general manager Calvin Booth just before the conclusion of the regular season. Advertisement That meant that the Nuggets, who earned the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference, would be entering the NBA Playoffs with David Adelman in an interim role. Some believed the move would come back to bite the Nuggets. Instead, they defeated the then-red-hot Los Angeles Clippers in a grueling seven-game series in the first round. Nov 22, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) controls the ball under pressure from Dallas Mavericks guard Jaden Hardy (1) in the first quarter at Ball Arena. © Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images Nuggets make announcement on former champion during free agency While they were eventually eliminated from the playoffs in the second round, they pushed the eventual champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder to seven games, displaying that they were just a few moves away from contending for a title again next season. Advertisement Once free agency opened, the Nuggets remained active, bringing back their fan-favorite guard Bruce Brown, who helped the Nuggets win a championship in 2023. "Bruce Brown is coming back to Denver," the Nuggets posted on During the NBA Finals, Brown averaged 11.4 points, 4.4 rebounds and one assist and steal per game. His most significant moment came in Game 4, when he scored 21 points on 8-for-11 shooting, including 3-for-5 from beyond the arc. The Nuggets made another significant move when they traded Michael Porter Jr. and a 2032 unprotected first-round draft pick to the Brooklyn Nets for Cam Johnson. Johnson averaged a career-high 18.8 points per game on a career-best 47.5% shooting percentage. Advertisement Between those two moves, the Nuggets are now expected to contend in a loaded Western Conference and have the third-best odds to win the conference next season behind only the defending champion Thunder and the Houston Rockets. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 9, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Is Russell Westbrook on in Denver? Patrick Beverley weighs in
Russell Westbrook is back on the free-agent market after declining his player option with the Denver Nuggets. Though a return to Denver seemed possible at first, it now looks like the door has closed. The former MVP played in 75 games for the Nuggets last season, starting 36 of them. He averaged 13.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 6.1 assists while serving as a high-energy contributor off the bench. But Denver's recent moves suggest the team is headed in a different direction. Advertisement MORE: Bronny James dazzles with big dunk in blowout win over Heat The Nuggets have added Tim Hardaway Jr. and brought back Bruce Brown, both of whom are expected to strengthen the team's bench unit. According to multiple reports, including ESPN's Shams Charania, those additions leave little room for a Westbrook reunion. Beverley Says Nuggets Prioritized Shooting Over Westbrook During a recent episode of the 'Pat Bev Podcast' from Barstool Sports, Patrick Beverley shared his thoughts on Denver's offseason decisions. Co-host Adam 'Rone' Ferrone suggested the Nuggets have moved on from Westbrook by bringing in more reliable perimeter threats. 'That move is gonna have them getting off of Russ,' Ferrone said. 'The Kings are making a big push for Russ, but that leaves a divot in Denver's backup point guard rotation.' Beverley agreed with the take, adding: 'When you add some shooting around [Nikola Jokic] like they have with Tim Hardaway Jr. and Bruce Brown... I think Tim Hardaway Jr. is gonna light that place up.' The comment came from someone with a long and complex history with Westbrook. Beverley and Westbrook famously clashed during the 2013 playoffs, but they later became teammates on the Lakers and publicly ended their feud. Despite that rocky past, Beverley has often praised Westbrook's leadership and toughness. Advertisement Still, Beverley sees the logic in Denver's choice to focus on shooting. The Nuggets rely heavily on Jokic's playmaking, and spacing has always been key to unlocking his full offensive potential. With the Nuggets shifting focus, Westbrook's next destination remains unclear. The Sacramento Kings are rumored to have interest, but there's been no official word on where the veteran point guard will land. For now, Westbrook waits, while the Nuggets move forward with a backcourt built around shooting and depth. More NBA News:
