Miami's Thomas Bryant to receive championship ring from Nuggets despite suspension
Thomas Bryant celebrates the NBA championship from last season with the Denver Nuggets.
DENVER (AP) — The NBA will allow suspended Miami Heat center Thomas Bryant to briefly be in Denver’s arena Thursday night so he can receive his 2023 championship ring from the Nuggets in a pregame ceremony.
Players who are suspended are usually prohibited from attending the arena during game nights. Bryant is about to complete a three-game suspension due to his participation in a dispute that occurred during a Heat game against New Orleans the previous week.
However, considering this is Miami’s only game in Denver this season, the NBA has allowed Bryant, currently part of the Heat, to be present and receive the ring he earned for his performance in the 2022-23 season with the Nuggets – the team that defeated Miami in the NBA Finals. Bryant became a part of the Heat after signing as a free agent last summer.
After the ceremony, Bryant will need to exit the arena.
Denver handed out its championship rings on Oct. 24, just before playing its first game of the season. A player no longer with the title-winning team routinely get his ring in the first game against the former club. Otto Porter Jr. received his 2022 championship ring from Golden State when Toronto visited there in early January — a year and a half after Porter was part of the Warriors’ most recent title team.
The rings from Denver’s previous season contain 16 carats of diamonds, rubies, and sapphires, signifying the 16 playoff victories they secured to clinch a championship.
Last season, Bryant participated in 18 regular-season games and a playoff game with the Nuggets. He began that season with the Los Angeles Lakers and was present on the court when LeBron James surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s NBA scoring record on February 7, 2023.
Bryant’s final game as a Laker was followed by his trade to Denver two days later, as part of a four-team deal.
