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And when it comes to speaking your mind, especially on topics that go beyond the game (ehm, COVID vaccines), few have been more consistently outspoken than Kyrie Irving. This time, the Dallas Mavericks star raised an issue that rarely comes up from the players' side, questioning whether it still makes sense for NBA salaries to be fully public. "I find it very interesting that, of course, people will know how much the CEOs of Fortune 500 companies make. They will know different avenues of nine to five, in terms of the contract structure, but when it comes to sports, it's like, you know exactly the pay scale, the details of it and then it gets discussed as though there isn't any real live consequences to that," Irving opined in one of his live streams. "I wonder how much that puts a target on someone's life, where you know what's going on, you see it very causal, but it helps the overall growth of a sport, the sexiness of it, like, 'Oh, guess what Kai, or so and so is making this,' record breaking historic numbers… But I look at it, is it too much information at some point though?" the shifty point guard added. Ryan Wolstat: Raptors will play Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Bruce Brown and the NBa title contending Denver Nuggets in Vancouver on October 6. Marc Stein has also reported Dallas Mavericks will hold training camp in former land of the Grizzlies this year.
Ryan Blackburn: Bruce Brown is official in Denver. He will wear # 11 again.
Brian Windhorst: And, you know, I was told — and Mr. Jokić has not spoken on the record, at least in English, about this that I’ve seen — but I was told secondhand that Jokić was very pleased with the Nuggets’ moves. They brought back his guy, Bruce Brown — huge piece of the championship team. Hardaway is a nice shooter for the bench.
Sam Amick: By the way, the Bruce Brown reunion is, per sources, on a vet minimum deal. The Nuggets' new front office of Ben Tenzer and Jon Wallace is putting in work today...
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Shams Charania: Free agent Bruce Brown Jr. has agreed to a one-year deal with the Denver Nuggets, sources tell ESPN. The 2023 NBA champion for the Nuggets returns to Denver. CAA's Ty Sullivan and Steven Heumann finalized the deal tonight with the Nuggets.
Sources say Barrett was indeed discussed with New Orleans during the Raptors' trade conversations that ultimately landed Ingram from the Pelicans for Bruce Brown, Kelly Olynyk and one future first- and second-round pick. Between Barrett and veteran center Jakob Poeltl this summer, Toronto could get to nearly $50 million in outgoing salary relatively easily.
Ahead of that campaign, the team organized a trip to Nashville, Tennessee to get together ahead of the season. They bonded and worked hard on the hardwood. Star guard Tyrese Haliburton and the newly-added Bruce Brown were the leaders when it came to planning that trip. Turner showed up and was struck by the attendance. “Just seeing everybody’s ability man… seeing the dedication,” Turner recalled of the team playing in the Music City. They were able to get on the same page before the season even started, and only T.J. McConnell (recently became a dad) and Daniel Theis (coming off of international play) didn’t make the trip. It was as close to a training camp as a possible given how much of the roster made the trek.
It’s also worth noting that while former executive David Griffin wanted to re-sign unrestricted free agent Bruce Brown and keep center Kelly Olynyk into next season, according to league sources, it’s unclear how new executive Joe Dumars feels about both players.
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Anthony Chiang: The Pelicans' long injury report for tonight's game vs. Heat: Out: Brandon Boston, Bruce Brown, Jordan Hawkins, Herbert Jones, CJ McCollum, Yves Missi, Trey Murphy, Dejounte Murray, Kelly Olynyk and Zion Williamson. Questionable: Jose Alvarado and Karlo Matkovic.
When the Nuggets entered this season, sources told ESPN that there was growing tension between Malone and Booth that grew into a "cold war." Since the team won the championship, the Nuggets have gone with younger role players such as Christian Braun and Peyton Watson around the team's core of Jokic, Murray and Aaron Gordon. Veterans such as Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Bruce Brown left in previous summers during free agency to sign bigger deals elsewhere.
RJ Barrett was discussed in trade talks for Brandon Ingram with New Orleans, but the Pelicans preferred the expiring contract of Bruce Brown and stretch-five center Kelly Olynyk, who’s owed $13.45 million next season, league sources told HoopsHype. With Trey Murphy III and Herb Jones already on the wing, the Pelicans didn’t view Barrett as a suitable fit for their roster as talks would have necessitated finding a third team, sources said.
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