Bruce Brown never doubted Brooklyn’s return

The end of his first season in Brooklyn left Bruce Brown with a sense of unfinished business.

With Kyrie Irving out of the ankle sprain and James Harden battling through the cuticle, the Nets fell to final champion Milwaukee Bucks in overtime in the 7th match of the Eastern Conference semi-final. Brown played 52/53 minutes in a playoff classic that Kevin Durant sent to OT with his 23-foot jumper second behind.

I was really salty all summer, I’m going to be honest, Brown said. I didn’t watch basketball. I was just angry that we lost. I can’t wait to get back there and then win. I didn’t sleep at all the night after the game. I went and tried golf the next day, which was a terrible decision. Yeah, I can’t wait to get back.

At the end of the 2020-21 season, Brown became a limited free agent, but he officially returned to Brooklyn over the weekend by signing a deal with Nets. Because he believed the healthy Nets team would have brought home the championship and the desire to do just that next year, Brown was so ready to return that he started house hunting in a new location right after the season ended.

I really didn’t pay anything for it, honestly, Brown said of his vacant office. I thought everything would take care of itself. I was really just training all the time, and then when the free office started, I was actually back on a plane back to New York. So I really didn’t talk to anyone before I landed. I’m just happy to be back. It fits perfectly. I didn’t want to go anywhere else.

Brown arrived in Brooklyn with a three-team draft-week deal last fall, and had a reputation for defensive ability that he met. The Nets have made similar acquisitions this summer with guard Jevon Carter and striker DeAndre Bembry.

In a team known for scoring after he had set an attack rating record last season, Brown likes the idea of ​​a line-up that puts him on the floor along with Carter and Bembry.

I don’t think this is going to be anything easy, I’ll tell you that, Brown said.

In the two months since the end of the season, Brown said he has worked hard on his shooting, especially in the 3-point range, where he shot 28.8 percent last season.

Straight triplets, Brown said. Catch and shoot threes. No middle ground. Leave it to KD and Kyri.

Brown made an impact on the attacking head in a unique way last season, evolving into an effective roller man and stung floats at the finish line when he couldn’t get to the full edge where he took 318,432 from his field attempt. He ended up shooting 55.6 percent, second in the league among 6-foot-4 or less players. Brown averaged 8.8 points and 5.4 rebounds per game, and his per 36 points bonus rate of 8.7 was also second to players 6-4 or less than Russell Westbrook.

I love my role here, Brown said. It gets me to the floor. I do a lot of little things for the team that the champion team needs. So I’m going to continue it next year and I’ll take more shots.