Should Nuggets Give Christian Braun a Pass for Disappointing Season?

Denver Nuggets guard Christian Braun has caught plenty of flak for his underwhelming performance in the team's first-round playoff exit against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Granted, it was for good reason, as the starting guard seemed like a non-factor during the last four games of the series.

However, could there be a cause for his struggles? The Denver Post's Bennett Durando reports that Braun suffered a calf injury in Game 1 of the series, which severely limited him for the rest of the Nuggets' short-lived playoff run.

"Meanwhile, he also sustained an injury and developed swelling in his left calf in Game 1 against the Timberwolves, according to two sources with knowledge of the situation. It exacerbated Braun’s inability to explode off the ground — his left leg is the one he usually pushes off of when he jumps," Durando reported.

Christian Braun hurt his left calf early in Nuggets-Wolves series, per sources. Between that & his ankle, he struggled to get off the ground in the playoffs.

Still, he knows the reality of new contract. “Expectations are higher, and I need to be better.” https://t.co/xu9mi7sOT3
— Bennett Durando (@BennettDurando) May 5, 2026

Durando also reports that the injury he suffered during the regular season—a severe ankle sprain—swelled up during the playoffs, as it bothered him throughout most of the season.

Yes, Braun had a down year after earning a giant five-year, $125 million contract extension, but should we give him some grace for playing through injury?

Too late for forgiveness?

At this point, especially after Denver's playoff exit, fans are reasonably upset with Braun's performance. In the final four games of the playoffs, he averaged just 5.5 points and 2.5 rebounds, shooting 35.3% from the field and 37.5% from three-point range. In his defense, the entire Nuggets team struggled in this series, but the lights are brighter for him as his huge extension kicks in next season.

Christian Braun over last 4 games of series:

3 PTS
1-4 FG

9 PTS
3-5 FG

8 PTS
2-4 FG

2 PTS
0-4 FG

His 5-year, $125M contract begins next season.
— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) May 1, 2026

Since Braun suffered the ankle sprain in just the 11th game of the season, it was clear that he never truly came back healthy. He first tried to come back after a 23-game absence, but quickly reaggravated it. He ultimately played just three games between mid-November and early February.

He finished the regular season averaging 12.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.7 assists through 44 games, while shooting 51.9% from the field, 30.1% from beyond the arc, and 78.2% from the free-throw line. Braun made an improvement in just one stat category (2.6 APG to 2.7 APG) from last season, while the rest of his numbers dropped.

Obviously, the franchise handed him a healthy contract extension for a reason, but this was a disappointing showing for him after impressing everyone enough to earn $125 million. Should the Nuggets already regret that decision?

The Nuggets reportedly have "internal regret" and are "kicking themselves" for prioritizing Christian Braun’s 5-year, $125M extension over Peyton Watson last summer, per @jwquick & @sam_amick

“Braun will be entering the first season of a five-year, $125 million deal that, if… pic.twitter.com/xETaOmqtu8
— NBA Base (@TheNBABase) May 1, 2026

Fans were very quick to turn on the struggling guard, and he was even hard on himself after the playoff loss. While the injuries certainly played a factor, he was not using that as an excuse.

"I could sit here and make every excuse. I could blame my ankle. I could blame injuries that people don’t know about. But that doesn’t really matter. If I’m going to be on the court, the expectation is to win. The expectation is to play well," he said.

Braun could come back better

There is some early offseason chatter about the Nuggets looking to trade Braun, which is unlikely due to his contract, but we will likely see the 25-year-old guard return better than before next season.

Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels controls the ball as Denver Nuggets guard Christian Braun — Apr 27, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels (3) controls the ball as Denver Nuggets guard Christian Braun (0) guards in the third quarter during game five of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Ball Arena. | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Obviously, Braun had a down year. But he was not healthy. We gave the same grace to Nikola Jokic when he was playing through injury, so giving Braun an offseason to get back to himself will help him live up to the expectations of his new contract.

If Braun can get back to his 2024-25 form, the Nuggets would be very pleased, and fans would quickly forget about this down year and underwhelming playoff run.

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