NBA champion cashes in big in free agency

Brown was set to make $6.8 million with his player option before wisely choosing to test the market. He broke out as a reserve on Denver's championship team, averaging 11.5 points in 28.5 minutes per game as the Nuggets' sixth man. He shone in the playoffs, scoring 21 points in Game 4 of the NBA Finals.

Denver badly wanted Brown back, but could only offer him a starting salary of $7.8 million. Even with an impassioned plea from coach Michael Malone, getting $14 million more from Indiana for next season was simply too much to turn down.

In fact, Brown's salary for next season alone dwarfs his career earnings to date. In five seasons since the Pistons drafted Brown with the No. 42 pick in the 2018 draft, the versatile guard had earned $15.1M in total. He's going to make almost $22 million next year.

Brown's market not only exploded since the Finals, it blew up in the last few days. Some analysts were confident that the Lakers could get Brown for the mid-level exception of $12.2 million — almost $10M less than what he got.

For the Pacers, the deal makes a lot of sense — especially since the second year of Brown's $45 million deal is a team option. They get a season with Brown in the fold to improve their defense and help their very young roster, but his contract is easy to trade or simply escape after one season. And while All-Star Tyrese Haliburton is likely to get a big extension this summer, it won't kick in until the fall of 2025.

You can't put a price on winning a title. But the Pacers definitely put a high price on a player who helped win one.