After helping the Denver Nuggets win their first NBA championship last season, guard Bruce Brown signed a two-year, $45 million contract with the Indiana Pacers on Friday.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported the news.

Brown previously declined his $6.8 million player option for 2023-24 to test free agency and potentially land a longer-term deal.

The 26-year-old Brown spent last season in Denver after two seasons each with the Detroit Pistons and Brooklyn Nets. Despite starting only 31 of the 80 games he played in, Brown blossomed in his fifth NBA campaign.

Brown averaged career highs in points per game (11.5), three-pointers made per game (1.1) and steals per game (1.1), while also averaging 4.1 rebounds and 3.4 assists.

The former University of Miami standout also shot a solid 48.3 percent from the field and 35.8 percent from beyond the arc.

With Brown playing a key role, the Nuggets earned the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference and proceeded to steamroll their way through the playoffs, beating the Miami Heat in five games in the NBA Finals.

Playing a supporting role to the likes of Nikola Jokić, Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon and Michael Porter Jr., Brown averaged 12.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.1 steals in 20 playoff games, while shooting 51.1 percent from the floor.

Brown undoubtedly played his way into a much bigger contract than the $6.8 million he would have earned had to exercised his player option, so opting out was an obvious move.

Still, the Nuggets remained a candidate to re-sign him based on how well he fit into their rotation, even if he wasn't among the top scoring options.

The Pacers missed the playoffs in each of the past three seasons, but they may be ready to return to postseason contention in 2023-24.

Brown brings championship experience to an improving team with a core of Tyrese Haliburton, Bennedict Mathurin, Myles Turner and Buddy Hield, and he could be the piece needed to get Indiana out of the doldrums.