The Denver Nuggets rewarded one of their talented young players after his continued improvement last year.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Nuggets signed swingman Christian Braun to a five-year contract extension worth $125 million on Monday. He was originally set to make $4.9 million during the 2025-26 season, which was been the final year on his rookie deal.
NBA insider Jake Fischer previously reported that “the low end” of the range Braun was seeking in his new contract was estimated to be around $25 million per year, so the youngster got his wish.
The No. 21 pick in the 2022 draft, Braun made a jump in his third year with averages of 15.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.1 steals across 79 games with 77 starts. He had averaged 7.3 points during his sophomore season, making him one of two players to increase his scoring average by more than eight points alongside Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels, per ESPN’s Bobby Marks. He was also incredibly efficient, shooting 58.0 percent from the field and 39.7 percent from three-point range.
During the postseason, Braun ranked fourth on the Nuggets with 12.6 points per game while adding 6.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.2 steals. Denver fell in the Western Conference Semifinals after pushing the eventual NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder to seven games.
The Nuggets added depth around star center Nikola Jokic and point guard Jamal Murray this offseason, but extending Braun makes it clear that he’s also a big part of their future. While they acquired swingman Cameron Johnson from the Brooklyn Nets, they didn’t make a pick in the 2025 draft, making Braun’s presence even more important for their young core.
If Braun continues his upward trajectory, he could be in for a bigger role this season as Denver tries to return to title contention.
