Indiana Pacers guard Bruce Brown hasn't had the smoothest ride in his pro career, traded by the Detroit Pistons after his second career season despite playing well and then being forced to play out of position by the team that acquired him in the Brooklyn Nets.

To his credit, Brown persevered, transforming himself into one of the league's highly touted role players after playing an integral role for the Denver Nuggets during their championship run. However, the storybook ending that saw him signing a two-year, $45 million contract with the Pacers at the start of free agency might have had a different look had his free agency experience gone any differently.

Brown, making an appearance on Tidal League's Run Your Race podcast, was transparent about what transpired last summer.

“First of all,” Brown says, “I obviously had a great second year in the playoffs, played really well. ”

“Crickets. I didn't know where I was going throughout free agency. Nobody was really interested at the time. Maybe they were but they weren't committed. I wasn't their first option or second option or third. Then all the money dried up and I didn't know where I was going…”

“…There was no other options,” Brown reveals of his decision to sign with the Nuggets.

“Coach [Michael] Malone called me… like I don't know why you're still on the board… but I think it's a perfect fit. [Nuggets GM] Calvin Booth called me and was like, ‘Jamal [Murray] is not gonna play all 82 [games] cause he's coming off injury… so we need somebody to be a ball handler.' And I said, ‘Lock me in'…

I didn't want to play the 4-man, short roll anymore. So, it was just perfect.”