Nuggets fans had plenty to celebrate at the start of the season when Christian Braun signed a five-year, $125 million extension. The deal effectively locked in Denver’s core four for the Nikola Jokic era alongside Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon. Braun’s steady development has given the Nuggets a new potential difference-maker, a much-needed injection of youthful energy to help them stay competitive in an ever-improving Western Conference that looks as strong as it’s ever been.
His evolution into a defensive pillar alongside AG has vindicated the Nuggets’ front office, validating controversial personnel decisions that sparked criticism but ultimately proved to have been correct.
How the Nuggets’ Choices on Braun Led to His Big Extension
That’s why it’s important to look back and reflect on his journey—to understand the decisions that brought the Nuggets to this point, where years of development turned a young and raw prospect into a key cornerstone for the franchise’s future. With limited flexibility to reshape their roster, the Nuggets have to rely on internal development as the blueprint for sustaining a championship-caliber team over several years.
Surviving Malone’s Baptism by Fire
Across much of the league, teams hand young players minutes as part of their development, rather than on merit. Front offices want to validate their draft picks, and coaches sometimes welcome the built-in excuse of a few extra losses due to them developing young talents. Under Michael Malone, however, that was never the case. Every player, regardless of age or status in the league, had to earn their minutes, a philosophy that made it notoriously difficult for young talents to crack the rotation. Malone held every young player accountable for their mistakes, and if they proved detrimental to winning, he had no qualms benching a prospect for a less flashy but more reliable veteran.
Braun was able to thrive in that environment and slowly carved out a more relevant role for this Denver team. His relentless energy and defensive potential earned him a consistent role off the bench as a stopper and spark plug. His breakout moment came in Game 3 of the 2023 NBA Finals, when he scored 15 points in a 7-of-8 shooting performance and showcased glimpses of the player he would become. At that stage, however, he was still too raw to be trusted with the starting SG role. His inconsistent shooting could hurt the team’s spacing and be exploited by smart defensive teams, so the Nuggets wisely chose to let him develop behind a reliable veteran like Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
The Tough but Correct Call on KCP
Eventually, Denver reached a crossroads heading into the 2024 offseason. Caldwell-Pope’s contract was expiring, and as one of the most dependable 3-and-D players on the market, he was expected to draw several lucrative offers in free agency. The team faced a difficult decision: either give KCP a massive — and quite frankly overpriced — new contract that would severely limit their financial flexibility for future roster moves going forward, or let him walk and entrust his role to the young Christian Braun.
The Nuggets chose the latter — a decision that drew frustration from fans and media alike, many of whom saw it as another cost-cutting move by the Kroenkes, who have been frequently guilty of such decisions in the past. In reality, though, it was the right call.
As dependable as KCP had been, Minnesota exposed his limitations during the Nuggets’ loss in the 2024 Western Conference Finals. He struggled mightily to contain Anthony Edwards, who was simply too fast and too strong for the veteran to handle. By contrast, when Christian Braun took on the defensive assignment when coming off the bench, Edwards at least had to work a lot more for his scoring opportunities.
With the Western Conference stacked with elite offensive creators like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luka Doncic, the Nuggets couldn’t afford to stand pat with KCP. That’s why betting on Braun’s upside made sense, despite lingering questions about his offensive consistency.
Braun Rewards the Nuggets with a Breakout Season
Braun rewarded that faith with a breakout season, averaging 15.4 points per game while shooting nearly 40 percent from three. Ironically, early in the season, his defense appeared to take a step back — though that was more a reflection of the team’s overall inconsistency on that end. He became a major threat in transition and fit seamlessly as another weapon for Jokic.
The defensive concerns faded once the Nuggets locked in during the playoffs, and Braun’s value became clear to see. Alongside Aaron Gordon, he played a pivotal role in restoring Denver’s championship-caliber defense, including strong stretches against elite scorers like SGA.
While offensive inconsistency still maintained to some extent — especially in the postseason, where his three-point percentage dipped to around 30 percent and was even below that during the Thunder series — Braun’s growth trajectory remains undeniable. That’s why the Nuggets extended his contract: betting that he can be part of the core that brings more championships to the Mile High City.
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