You know that feeling when you just know a guy belongs on a winning team? It’s not about the box score. It’s definitely not about the flashy step-back threes that end up on House of Highlights every night. It’s about the guy who sprints back on defense when everyone else is complaining to the ref.
That is Christian Braun.
🔗 Read more: Oilers Live Hockey Game: Why the January Slump is Actually Good News
The Denver Nuggets basically bet their entire championship window on this kid. When they let Kentavious Caldwell-Pope walk in free agency, the collective gasp from Nuggets fans could be heard from LoDo all the way to the Springs. People thought Calvin Booth was crazy. They said the bench was too thin. They said Braun wasn't a "real" starter.
Then came October 2025.
The Nuggets didn't just give Braun a starting spot; they gave him a five-year, $125 million contract extension. Suddenly, the "scrappy rookie" from the 2023 title run was a $25-million-a-year pillar of the franchise. Honestly, if you told a casual fan three years ago that the 21st pick out of Kansas would be making more than some perennial All-Stars by 2026, they’d have laughed you out of the gym.
The Christian Braun Denver Nuggets Identity: More Than Just a "Jokic Merchant"
Look, playing with Nikola Jokic makes life easy. We know this. You cut, he finds you. You run, the ball arrives like it was delivered by a drone.
But calling Braun a "Jokic merchant" is lazy. Seriously.
Last season, Braun wasn't just catching lobs. He became one of the most lethal transition threats in the entire NBA. He actually ranked second in the league in transition points per game at one point. That doesn't happen by accident. It happens because Braun has a "track star" gear that most 6-foot-6 guards simply don't have. He treats every defensive rebound like a 100-meter dash.
Why the $125 Million Makes Sense
People look at the raw stats and get confused.
- 2024-25 season: 15.4 points, 5.2 rebounds.
- 2025-26 (early returns): 9.5 points, 4.2 rebounds.
Wait, why did the numbers go down?
Context is everything. Braun dealt with a nasty ankle sprain against the Clippers back in November 2025 that sidelined him for nearly two months. Returning from that kind of injury in the middle of a playoff race is brutal. You’ve got to find your rhythm while the rest of the league is already in mid-season form.
David Adelman, who has been filling in for Michael Malone at times, put it best recently. He basically said he has "extreme patience" for guys like CB. Why? Because Braun has won at every single level.
- Three high school state titles.
- An NCAA Championship with Kansas (2022).
- An NBA Championship with the Nuggets (2023).
The dude is a winner. Period. You don't pay for the 9.5 points; you pay for the fact that when he's on the floor, the Nuggets' net rating usually skyrockets. Before his injury this season, his on-off split was a staggering +8.5. That means the Nuggets were nearly 9 points better per 100 possessions with him out there. That is "Elite Role Player" territory.
The Evolution of the Jump Shot
If there's one thing that keeps Nuggets fans up at night, it's the three-point percentage.
In the 2024-25 season, Braun shot nearly 40% from deep. It felt like the breakthrough. But this year, since coming back from the injury, he’s struggled, hovering around the low 20s in his first few games back in January 2026.
Is it a fluke? Probably.
His mechanics look fine. He’s not hesitating. The gravity of the Denver Nuggets offense—with Jamal Murray and Jokic drawing three defenders every play—means Braun is going to get wide-open looks for the next five years. He doesn't need to be Ray Allen. He just needs to be "don't-leave-me-open" reliable.
Defensive Versatility
The real value is on the other end.
Braun is a menace. He’s "jacked" now—way stronger than he was as a rookie. He can switch onto bigger wings like Anthony Edwards or hold his own against shiftier guards like De'Aaron Fox.
He and Aaron Gordon have basically become the "enforcers" for this roster. While Jokic provides the brilliance, Braun provides the grit. He’s the guy diving into the front row of the stands for a loose ball in a Tuesday night game against Washington. You can't teach that. You either have that "dog" in you or you don't.
What Most People Get Wrong About Braun
The biggest misconception? That he's just a "3-and-D" guy.
He’s actually a very underrated secondary playmaker. We’ve seen him start to run more pick-and-roll with Jokic lately. Think about how terrifying that is for a defense. Usually, the "big" is the screener. But when Braun screens and then rolls or pops, defenses don't know who to tag.
His passing has improved every single year. He went from 0.8 assists as a rookie to 2.6 last season. It’s about the "feel." You can tell he’s spent the last four years graduating from the Nikola Jokic School of Basketball IQ. He makes the "one-more" pass. He knows exactly where the shooters are supposed to be.
The Financial Reality of the Nuggets Core
Let's talk money, because it's the elephant in the room.
Denver is expensive.
- Jokic: $59M
- Murray: $50M
- Gordon: $32M
- Braun: $22M-$25M (starting 2026-27)
That is a lot of cash tied up in four guys. By the time the 2026-27 season rolls around, the Nuggets will be paying their top six players roughly $193 million.
The second apron is a real thing. It’s scary for GMs. But the Nuggets clearly decided that Braun was more valuable than the flexibility of having a cheaper, less proven player. They chose continuity over "maybe." In a league where everyone is constantly chasing the next shiny object, the Nuggets are doubling down on the guys who already helped them hang a banner in the rafters.
The Peyton Watson Factor
Interestingly, while Braun got his bag, Peyton Watson didn't get an extension at the same time. This tells you exactly what the front office thinks of Christian Braun. He is the "safe" bet. He is the high-floor, high-ceiling winner that helps Jokic stay Jokic.
Why You Should Still Buy Braun Stock
If you're a Nuggets fan or a fantasy basketball degenerate, don't let the recent shooting slump scare you.
Braun is 24 years old. He’s just now entering his physical prime. Most players don't even figure out the "mental" side of the NBA until they're 26 or 27. Braun is already a playoff-tested veteran with a ring.
His rebounding for a guard is also low-key elite. Averaging over 5 boards a game as a shooting guard is massive for a team that likes to run. When Braun grabs the rebound himself, it eliminates the need for an outlet pass. He just goes.
What to Watch For Next
Keep an eye on his "rim pressure." When the shot isn't falling, Braun usually responds by attacking the basket with bad intentions. He’s a much more explosive athlete than people give him credit for. If he can get back to finishing at the 65% clip he had last year at the rim, the scoring average will climb back up to that 14-16 PPG range naturally.
Actionable Steps for the Rest of the Season
If you're following the Nuggets' pursuit of another title, watch these three specific things with Braun:
- The Corner Three: If he’s hitting the corner trey at 37% or better, the Nuggets' offense becomes impossible to guard.
- Defensive Matchups: Watch how often Malone/Adelman put him on the opponent's best player. That's the ultimate sign of trust.
- Transition Sprints: Does he look like he has his "pop" back after the ankle injury? The first three steps are everything for him.
The Christian Braun Denver Nuggets partnership is locked in until 2031. Whether you love the contract or think it was an overpay, one thing is certain: Denver isn't the same team without him. He is the heartbeat of their hustle.
Expect the numbers to normalize as we head toward the 2026 playoffs. Winners usually find a way to show up when the lights get bright, and Braun has a career's worth of evidence saying he'll do exactly that.
To keep a pulse on the Nuggets' rotation, monitor the injury reports for Aaron Gordon; when Gordon sits, Braun’s defensive responsibilities double, often forcing him into a "small-ball four" role that highlights his underrated post-defense strength. Watch his minutes closely in back-to-back games to see how the coaching staff manages his ankle recovery heading into the All-Star break.