Nuggets Provide New Update on Christian Braun's Injury Status

Among the multiple injuries that the Denver Nuggets have suffered throughout the first half of the NBA season, Christian Braun has been one of the multiple starters struck with the injury bug, having dealt with an ankle sprain that's kept him out for all but three games in the past three months, and playing in just 14 of 41 total contests.

It's been a notable loss for the Nuggets' wing depth for the time that Braun's been out, but it seems like for head coach David Adelman, the team is going to continue to remain "patient" in bringing him back to full speed.

Following the Nuggets’ latest practice, Adelman spoke a bit about the current status surrounding Braun and his timeline to return from his ankle injury, and while there's not a date set in stone for Denver's starting shooting guard to get back in the rotation, he has been doing some non-contact drills in with a few of the team's coaches in the facility.

"He did the non-contact stuff. The contact stuff we did was with coaches. It wasn't like it was excessive, but also, it would be stupid to put him out there when he's trying to get back to full strength," Adelman said of Christian Braun, via Vinny Benedetto. "He did a little bit. Jonas [Valanciunas] did a little bit. Each guy, it's going to be their own process."

"All these weeks and timetables we put out there, I don't know. They have to feel comfortable in what they're doing before they start really playing. We're going to be patient with CB. He's a huge part of what we do, especially defensively. We've missed him dramatically. I'm excited for him to get back to full strength."

Asked David Adelman for a Christian Braun update. Here’s what we got after a light practice: pic.twitter.com/UB9PTxtkMm
— Vinny Benedetto (@VBenedetto) January 16, 2026

Nuggets to Be Patient With Christian Braun

Since initially suffering his ankle injury back in the middle of November, Braun made in appearance in three January games that gave a bit of added confidence for his status moving forward.

However, it was clear in those games that the Nuggets wing still remained uncomfortable with his lingering ankle issue and wasn't quite up to full speed, even while he was on the floor.

Dec 15, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Christian Braun (0) before the game against the Houston Rockets at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

During the 14 games that Braun has played this season, he's averaged 9.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.5 assists while shooting 45.9% from the field; a bit distant from the numbers he had been posting from his previous campaign.

However, when Braun is at 100% and playing to his best on both ends of the floor, he's a critical component to the Nuggets' success, and throughout his third-year pro in the 2024-25 season, he had proved just that by averaging some career numbers across the board.

That's why for the Nuggets and Coach Adelman, rushing back their fourth-year wing quicker than necessary doesn't appear to be their preferred approach. Instead, they'll be taking their time for their 24-year-old to get back to form and find his athleticism and offensive versatility that make him a high-quality rotation player for Denver, and will be especially so once the postseason arrives in a few months’ time.

Therefore, to get the most out of their budding wing, who's signed a $125 million deal right before the season tipped off, expect the Nuggets to take his recovery process slow and steady, and have their recent standouts like Jamal Murray and Peyton Watson be the ones to continue running the show.

Nuggets to Be Patient With Christian Braun

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