Pelicans: Nets’ free agent Bruce Brown could help the defense

The New Orleans Pelicans could be a player in this year’s NBA free agency.

They have a lot of glaring holes to fix, but may not have a ton of money to spend depending on what they do with their own guys.

The Pelicans may also try to improve via trade, so could look at the free agent market more as a place to find low-cost contributors than their next star.

There are some players in this year’s restricted free agent class who would be nice fits on the Pelicans and will probably be on team-friendly deals.

One of them is Bruce Brown of the Brooklyn Nets, who has proven he can be a versatile and impactful defender on a good team.

New Orleans Pelicans: NBA free agents-Bruce Brown

I have liked Brown for the Pelicans going back to his days on the Pistons, but there was always a question of how he might perform on a good team, which the Pistons never were while he was there.

Brown was a fan-favorite in Detroit because of his tenacious defense and willingness to do the dirty work to help a team win.

These attributes are more valuable on a good team, and Brown is now on a very good team in Brooklyn. He has had some big games for the Nets and is often a part of their crunch-tine lineups due to his ability to defend all over the floor.

Brown can guard 1-4 effectively due to a huge wingspan and a hard-nosed and competitive attitude. He doesn’t back down from anyone and isn’t afraid to take on the tough defensive assignment.

These are traits that the New Orleans Pelicans desperately need, as they were one of the NBA’s worst defensive teams for the second year in a row and need some guys who are committed on that end.

Bruce Brown isn’t much of a shooter but he can create and play both guard spots, so he’s a versatile backup who can fit into a lot of lineups and defend just about anyone. This is exactly the type of player the Pelicans need to put around Zion Williamson, as Brown can make an impact without ever taking a shot.

Brown is one free agent to watch as the Nets take on the Celtics in the first round.