Few teams have a more firmly established starting five than the Denver Nuggets, who’ll surround Nikola Jokić with old pals Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon and Christian Braun, plus newcomer Cam Johnson.
That means any potential shakeup will almost certainly be injury-related, particularly after Denver fully affirmed its commitment to Braun, the least experienced member of the group, with a five-year, $125 million extension. Assuming the Nuggets need a stand-in when someone goes down, Bruce Brown’s institutional knowledge and versatility gives him the advantage over sharpshooter Tim Hardaway Jr.
Brown may not still have all the varied skills that saw him transform from a point guard to an undersized power forward to a three-and-D wing over the first few years of his career, but he knows how to move into spaces where Jokić can find him.
Brown’s presence on Denver’s title-winning roster means he has the trust of his top teammates.
