Why Next Season Is a Make-or-Break Year for Nuggets' Christian Braun

Last offseason, the Denver Nuggets handed Christian Braun a generous five-year, $125 million contract extension. However, he immediately followed it up with an extremely underwhelming 2025-26 campaign.

Now, before his new contract even kicks in, the Nuggets are likely already regretting their decision. However, they could not trade him even if they tried. After the season he had and being under contract for the next five seasons, Braun has negative trade value, meaning he will be staying put in Denver this offseason.

That means, though, the 2026-27 season is Braun's last chance to truly prove himself to Denver and show that he was worth the contract extension.

Braun's poor season

Mar 24, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Christian Braun (0) against the Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

This season, Braun averaged 12.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game, while shooting 51.9% from the field and 30.1% from three-point range. In his defense, he was playing through injury for the majority of the season.

In just their 11th game, Braun suffered a severe ankle sprain that sidelined him for nearly two months, where he returned for just three games before returning to the sideline. Braun would ultimately appear in just three games between mid-November and early February, and once he returned, he was certainly not the same player.

Braun was reportedly still playing through significant injuries in the Nuggets' first-round playoff series, as Bennett Durando of The Denver Post wrote that he "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."

In said playoff series, Braun really struggled, averaging 8.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game, shooting 41.7% from the field and 42.9% from three-point range, giving a much different feel than what Nuggets fans are used to seeing from him, with a lack of burst.

Granted, Braun took responsibility for Denver's first-round playoff exit, saying, "I didn't play well enough as an individual, and I didn't have this team ready enough to play in a tough series."

Christian Braun took responsibility for the Nuggets' performance vs. the Timberwolves. pic.twitter.com/2bOj98tUwE
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) May 5, 2026

Bruan's season was plagued by injuries, and he has gotten some unfair criticism without acknowledgement that he was far from 100% this season. However, that is why next season feels like his last chance with this team.

What Braun can do next season

If Braun can be the player we saw in the 2024-25 season, the Nuggets would greatly benefit, and his future in Denver would be much safer. Whether it was because he was playing for a contract or it was Russell Westbrook pushing him to be better, Braun was at his best two seasons ago, and the Nuggets need him to find that again.

In the 2024-25 season, Braun averaged 15.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.1 steals per game, shooting 58.0% from the field, 39.7% from three-point range, and 82.7% from the free-throw line. Braun showed he could be a valuable player on both sides of the ball, so it is easy to believe why the Nuggets handed him a generous contract extension.

Now, Braun needs to prove he is worth $125 million, and simply getting back to what he showed two seasons ago would get it done.

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