Nuggets Share Update on Christian Braun's Injury Recovery

Among the Denver Nuggets' injury troubles faced across the past several weeks of the regular season, one of those absences has fallen on starting guard Christian Braun, who, after missing over two months of action, returned for a three-game span proving to be a bit slower than usual before heading to the sidelines once again to keep rehabbing his sprained ankle injury from November.

Braun is clearly eager to get back on the floor. Especially with the availability troubles faced by the Nuggets throughout the first half of this season. Being healthy and on the floor is vital for Denver to have at the current moment.

Yet, rather than rushing Braun back from his injury that forced him out for significant time, it seems like head coach David Adelman is taking things slow and steady for his recovery, and wants his young guard to get back to completely 100% before throwing him into the fire.

"I watch him work out, and he's going full speed. It's just he can't do everything his body should be able to do right now. I feel like it's fair to us and to the player for him to come back when he's ready to really play basketball– not just run up and down the court," Adelman said of Braun's injury, via Vinny Benedetto. "CB is tough. So, him coming back as quick as he did off an injury like that is not surprising."

"I think we have to do what's best for him. I do think it's a group conversation. Whenever CB communicates, I 100% understand where he's coming from, because that guy loves to play, loves to hoop, and he loves to win. He wants to be out there. We have to do the right thing for him, just like Aaron [Gordon], just like when Jamal [Murray] was coming back. Nikola [Jokic], [Jonas] Valanciunas, they've had their good days and bad days. You've just got to be patient with the progress. It sucks right now. So much love for CB and who he is as a competitor and what he is to our team. Let's get him back at full strength."

Followed up with David Adelman on Christian Braun’s status to see if CB reaggravated his left ankle sprain or if he came back and realized he wasn’t where he needed to be. DA’s answer: pic.twitter.com/4RgqNxj2Jc
— Vinny Benedetto (@VBenedetto) January 18, 2026

Nuggets Taking Slow Approach to Christian Braun's Injury

During his 14 games on the floor for the Nuggets this season, he's averaged 9.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.5 assists while shooting 45.9% from the field and 21.2% from three— a bit of a dropoff from the numbers he had posted throughout his breakout year three, which of course, can be attributed to a slow start and an injury-riddled campaign to follow.

Jan 9, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Christian Braun (0) lines up a three point basket in the first quarter against the Atlanta Hawks at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

So, rather than expedite the process quicker than it needs to be, the Nuggets want to make sure all of their currently injured lineup takes the necessary time to get back to 100% before re-taking the floor, and thus, getting themselves ready for a hopeful postseason run that may follow.

If the Nuggets want Braun, or any other one of their injured impact players, to work through their injury before they are totally ready for a return, that might just hurt the individual and the collective in the long run. A championship-winning team is often a healthy team, and Denver can make that happen without the right steps in rehab.

Therefore, slow and steady remains the best approach to get all of their firepower back in the mix, which will be in due time, especially as the long-awaited All-Star Break approaches in just around a month to provide a bit of added and necessary rest for a unit that's been beaten and bruised up all season long.

Nuggets Taking Slow Approach to Christian Braun's Injury

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