Christian Braun came into this season carrying a bigger spotlight than just about anyone on the Nuggets’ roster, and early on, he’s answering it the right way.
The five-year, $125 million extension he signed in 2025 is now in effect, which means the conversation around him is no longer about potential. It’s about production.
Denver paid him after a down year, and the front office chose him over Peyton Watson. So far, Braun is making that decision look smart.
His loudest statement came Oct. 30 against the Suns, when he poured in 31 points in Denver’s win and went 7-for-9 from three. That night also extended a strong defensive stretch, since it was the third straight game in which he had at least three steals.
Through seven games, Braun has scored in double figures five times and has done it efficiently, shooting 54.9 percent from the field and 42.2 percent from deep. He’s also been everywhere defensively, averaging 2.1 steals per game while bringing the kind of activity and energy that shows up on both ends.
The numbers suggest his impact goes beyond the box score. Denver is +22.1 points better with Braun on the floor than without him, which leads the team. That kind of swing says plenty about how much he’s affecting games.
His outside shot has been especially important. In his breakout 2024-25 season, Braun hit 39.7 percent from three on 2.8 attempts per game.
This year, he’s not only shooting it better, he’s taking more of them, up to 4.7 attempts per game. That matters for a Nuggets team shooting 37.2 percent from deep, which ranks eighth in the league, but only getting up 31.9 attempts per game, third-to-last in the NBA.
If Braun keeps making defenses respect him from the perimeter, it changes the way opponents have to guard Denver. It also goes a long way toward justifying the nearly $22 million he is set to make this season, especially with the Nuggets’ spacing issues.
There was plenty of noise around Braun after Denver’s rough finish last season and the early first-round exit that followed. One idea that surfaced on social media was trading him, though it was seen as difficult because of his contract. Whether that was ever a real front-office discussion or not, it’s beside the point now.
What matters is how Braun has opened this season and how he’s played with confidence after plenty of people were ready to move on from him. Some doubted he could be the kind of two-way player Denver needed to keep its championship window open. That might have been premature, especially after a fourth season in which he played only 44 games.
For now, Braun is letting his game carry the message. And the message is clear.
In Other News...
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The Nuggets are only a week into the season, but their roster math is already creating a problem they probably did not expect to face this soon. Because of salary-cap constraints, Denver is carrying just 14 standard contracts and leaning on two-way players to fill out the group, a setup that comes with a built-in limit on how often those players can be used.
That limit is starting to matter. Denver has already used 16 of the 90 combined two-way appearances available, which has pushed the front office to weigh a promotion sooner than planned. Bryce Hopkins has emerged as the leading candidate for that move based on his performance, with Ryan Nembhard also in the mix, while Cam Whitmore looks less likely to be the one elevated. [Read more 🡒]
Pacers Get A Potential Boost Before Jokic Test In Mexico City
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Indiana did get a bit of encouraging news before tipoff, with two rotation pieces moving closer to availability after recent absences. One of them is expected to be back in game action, while the other was also bumped up on the report after missing the last two games, giving the Pacers a better chance to have some backcourt and wing stability for a matchup that already asks plenty of any opponent. [Read more 🡒]
Aaron Gordon Gave Nuggets Fans A Mexico City Moment To Love
The Nuggets left Mexico City with a win over Indiana, but the night also carried the kind of atmosphere that makes an overseas game feel bigger than the standings. Denver got important production from Cam Johnson, Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray in the 114-102 victory, while Pascal Siakam paced the Pacers, and the setting gave the matchup a different pulse than a typical regular-season stop.
Before tipoff, one of the more memorable touches came when Aaron Gordon helped greet the crowd in Spanish, a small gesture that played well in a building full of energy. It was the sort of moment that can stick with fans long after the final horn, especially with both teams now moving on to games in Texas and leaving the Mexico City stage behind. [Read more 🡒]