The Denver Nuggets lost Bruce Brown this offseason. Most consider that a major loss for the defending champions. Nuggets general manager Calvin Booth doesn’t necessarily agree.
Booth is high on second-year wing Peyton Watson taking a big step forward this season. So much so that Booth believes Watson is ready to replace Brown, albeit in different ways.
“Some of these teams were trying to get Bruce, trying to make it worth it; it’s like, just be careful what you wish for,” Booth said about the rivals that pursued Brown. “Peyton’s bigger. He’s longer. He’s more athletic. He guards better. He passes better. He doesn’t have the experience, and he’s not as good offensively yet, but we need defense more than we need offense on our team.”
Brown signed a two-year, $45 million contract with the Indiana Pacers this past summer. The Nuggets were limited in how much they could offer Brown, as they held only Non-Bird rights for the veteran wing.
