Christian Braun

Nuggets Notes: Braun, Watson, Valanciunas, Jokic

It went down to the wire but Christian Braun was able to work out a rookie scale extension with the Nuggets. Braun signed a five-year deal worth $125MM and expressed relief on Tuesday, as The Denver Post’s Bennett Durando relays.

“It is a little stressful,” Braun said. “Like I said, I don’t like the negotiations just because you feel like you’re against people you love and people you care about. But I’m just really excited for the way it went down and just really happy that it’s over with.”

The process of working out a long-term agreement that he and his reps and the team were comfortable with made it a difficult exercise.

“Negotiations are kind of maybe not my thing,” he said. “Kind of felt like you’re kind of against them for a little bit. But I think it worked out really, really well. I was really, really happy with the outcome. I’m very grateful for everybody involved.”

We have more on the Nuggets:

  • There was mutual interest between the team and Peyton Watson regarding a rookie scale extension but those negotiations were complicated by the Nuggets’ desire to get Braun signed, Durando reports. Getting Braun under a long-term deal was seen as a higher priority due to the restrictions of the second tax apron. As Durando notes, if the Nuggets had also signed Watson for more than $7MM annually, they would have been projected as a second-apron team for 2026/27 with three more roster spots to eventually fill.
  • Speaking of Watson, the coaching staff is intent on increasing his ball-handling responsibilities and he’s grateful for their belief in him, Durando writes. “Our coaching staff has really put a lot of trust and belief in me this entire preseason, training camp,” Watson said, “to go out there and kind of play more like myself and have the ball in my hands. Make decisions. So I’ve been able to work on a lot of things just in live-action games against really, really talented players. I think that’s always good for confidence. It’s always good for my sharpness. And I feel great.”
  • The Nuggets have struggled to find a productive backup to Nikola Jokic at center ever since Jokic exploded onto the national landscape. Can Jonas Valanciunas finally solve the problem? Durando looks back at Jokic’s previous backups, detailing year-by-year the dropoff that occurred when the superstar center wasn’t on the floor.
  • The leading members of the team’s revamped front office want to keep Jokic happy. Keeping the three-time MVP in the loop is one of the ways they’re trying to ensure that he remains with the franchise for the long haul. “It would be crazy to not listen to his advice and his input, just because he’s so important to the organization,” executive VP of basketball operations Ben Tenzer told The Athletic’s Sam Amick. “But also, he sees (the game) a different way than we see it and how our scouts see it. He’s a brilliant basketball mind. So yeah, we have to ask him how he feels about things in general. And sometimes he’ll have opinions, sometimes he won’t. But it’s always good to just connect with him. That’s just a sign of respect.”

Contract Details: Rookie Extensions, Wallace, Cooke, Nesmith

There are no surprises in the official terms of the last few rookie scale extensions signed ahead of Monday’s deadline, Hoops Rumors has confirmed. The salary figures reported for Nuggets guard Christian Braun (five years, $125MM), Hawks guard Dyson Daniels (four years, $100MM), and Trail Blazers guard Shaedon Sharpe (four years, $90MM) were all accurate down to the dollar, with no player or team options, trade kickers, or partial/non-guarantees.

While the extensions for Braun and Sharpe are structured with 8% annual raises and increase from year to year, Daniels’ deal with Atlanta is worth a flat $25MM per season. It’s the same structure the team used a year ago when it signed Jalen Johnson to a five-year, $150MM rookie scale extension that has annual cap hits of $30MM. In each case, the Hawks appear happy to sacrifice a little short-term cap flexibility for greater maneuverability down the road.

Here are more details of some of the contracts recently signed around the NBA:

  • Keaton Wallace‘s one-year, minimum-salary contract with the Hawks is partially guaranteed for $318,217, Hoops Rumors has learned. Wallace would be assured of earning his full $2,296,274 salary if he remains under contract through January 7.
  • Javonte Cooke‘s new two-way contract with the Trail Blazers covers two years, Hoops Rumors has confirmed. Portland had Cooke in camp on an Exhibit 10 contract and could’ve converted him directly to a one-year, two-way deal, but chose to waive him and re-sign him in order to tack on that extra year.
  • Aaron Nesmith‘s two-year, $40.4MM extension with the Pacers includes a 7.5% trade kicker, Hoops Rumors has learned.

Christian Braun Signs Five-Year Extension With Nuggets

4:35 pm: Braun has officially signed his five-year extension, the Nuggets announced (via Twitter).


1:35 pm: The Nuggets and guard Christian Braun have agreed to a five-year, $125MM rookie scale extension, ESPN’s Shams Charania reports (Twitter link). There are no team or player options in the agreement, Tony Jones of The Athletic tweets.

Earlier on Monday, HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto indicated there was cautious optimism between the two parties than an extension agreement would be worked out. The new deal will begin in 2026/27.

After being an important member of the team’s bench unit during his first two years in Denver, Braun moved into the starting lineup last season following the departure of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in free agency. The 21st pick of the 2022 draft posted career-high numbers across the board, averaging 15.4 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 79 games with .580/.397/.827 shooting splits.

Braun is the eighth player in his draft class to sign or agree to a rookie scale extension, joining Paolo BancheroJalen WilliamsChet HolmgrenJabari Smith Jr.Keegan Murray, Nikola Jovic and Shaedon Sharpe.

The numbers that Braun and his agent Bill Duffy agreed to fall in the range of Smith’s agreement of five years and $122MM.

With this agreement, Denver has now committed to four of its starters through at least the 2027/28 season. Braun joins superstar Nikola Jokic, Aaron Gordon and Jamal Murray, though Jokic has a player option on his contract for ’27/28.

As Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets, the Nuggets also now have more than $193MM committed to six players for the 2026/27 season. The cap for next season projects to be $166MM, with a tax line of $201MM and aprons in the neighborhood of $210MM and $223MM.

Scotto’s Latest: Braun, Daniels, Coffey, T. Smith, Napier

There’s “cautious optimism” that the Nuggets will work out a rookie scale extension with Christian Braun before today’s deadline at 5:00 pm Central time, league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

Scotto hears that negotiations between the team and Braun’s agent, Bill Duffy of WME Sports, are focusing on a five-year agreement in the range of $115MM to $125MM.

After being an important member of the team’s bench unit during his first two years in Denver, Braun moved into the starting lineup last season following the departure of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in free agency. Braun posted career-high numbers across the board, averaging 15.4 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 79 games with .580/.397/.827 shooting splits.

Jake Fischer of The Stein Line reported over the weekend that Braun and the Nuggets seemed unlikely to work out a deal before the deadline, but it appears progress may have been made over the past two days.

Scotto shares more information from around the league:

  • League sources tell Scotto that the Hawks and Dyson Daniels remain far apart in negotiation talks as the deadline nears. Daniels and his agent, Daniel Moldovan, are asking for an extension valued at $150MM over five years, while the team’s offer is in the neighborhood of five years at $115MM. Daniels was a valuable addition in his first season in Atlanta, earning First Team All-Defensive honors while leading the league in steals and being named Most Improved Player. However, Scotto points out that the Hawks made two significant free agent additions over the summer in Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Luke Kennard who could cut into Daniels’ playing time. Both players are better shooters, and Scotto suggests they could be on the court late in games instead of Daniels if Atlanta needs more offense.
  • Bucks coach Doc Rivers was a strong proponent for Amir Coffey to earn a roster spot, league sources tell Scotto. Rivers coached Coffey during his rookie season with the Clippers and believes he’ll be a valuable addition in Milwaukee. The 6’7″ swingman, who was in camp on a non-guaranteed Exhibit 9 deal, connected at 40.9% from three-point range last season. Milwaukee still has a roster move to make with Tyler Smith and Andre Jackson Jr. in contention for the final spot. Scotto hears that the Bucks spent the weekend exploring the trade market for Smith, a second-round pick in 2024 who appeared in 33 games last season. He’ll likely be waived if the Bucks can’t find a taker before this afternoon’s deadline, Scotto confirms.
  • Former NBA player Shabazz Napier has joined the Wizards as a coaching apprentice, sources tell Scotto. Napier, 34, played for Bayern Munich in the EuroLeague last season.

Extension Rumors: Daniels, Ivey, Duren, Eason, Braun, Sharpe

After talking to agents and executives around the league, Jake Fischer of The Stein Line states in his latest Substack column (subscription required) that there will likely be few, if any, rookie scale extensions reached before Monday’s deadline that carry an average annual value larger than $25MM. Fischer adds that teams have become more cautious about handing out large deals because of the restrictions that accompany the first and second aprons.

He points to Hawks guard Dyson Daniels as someone who should be in good position to match the five-year, $150MM extensions that teammate Jalen Johnson and Orlando guard Jalen Suggs both received last offseason. However, sources tell Fischer that Atlanta’s front office is willing to let Daniels test restricted free agency next year if he won’t sign on the team’s terms.

Fischer notes that Daniels’ agent, Daniel Moldovan, also represents Josh Giddey, who just went through a months-long standoff with the Bulls in restricted free agency. Fischer adds that Daniels would likely be entering a more robust market for restricted free agents than the one that Giddey faced.

Fischer offers more information on players eligible for rookie scale extensions:

  • Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren haven’t made much progress in their extension talks with the Pistons, sources tell Fischer. He suggests that management might be extra cautious with Ivey following arthroscopic surgery on his right knee this week. Ivey’s camp expects an active market if he does hit free agency, even though he’s also coming off a fractured left tibia that cost him most of last season. Sources describe negotiations with Duren as “tepid” so far, per Fischer, who adds that his representatives are asking for a new deal worth much more than $30MM in AAV and are also optimistic about his prospects on the open market.
  • The Rockets are hoping to sign Tari Eason to an extension that’s “significantly lower” than the five-year, $122MM deal that Jabari Smith Jr. accepted this summer, according to Fischer. The outcome of the Eason negotiations will affect what Houston is willing to give Kevin Durant in his extension talks, Fischer adds. With Amen Thompson expected to receive a max extension next offseason, Houston is being careful about not overloading its salary commitments. Fischer talked to capologists who said they would recommend limiting any Durant offers to $80MM over two years. As Fischer notes, it’s not certain that Durant would remain with the Rockets at that number.
  • It seems unlikely that Christian Braun will reach an extension agreement with the Nuggets, Fischer states. Sources tell him that Denver is already sending signals that it doesn’t want to become a taxpaying team next season, while Braun and his camp are hoping for a deal at $25MM in average annual value. The Nuggets are also holding extension talks with Peyton Watson, but Fischer suggests a new deal with him may not happen unless they can’t agree to terms with Braun.
  • Fischer views Trail Blazers guard Shaedon Sharpe as the most likely remaining candidate to hammer out an extension before the deadline. Rival teams that Fischer contacted expect Portland to give Sharpe something in the neighborhood of $100MM over four years.
  • Suns center Mark Williams, Jazz center Walker Kessler and Pacers wing Bennedict Mathurin all appear headed for restricted free agency, Fischer states. Of the three, Fischer points to Mathurin as the most likely to change teams because of Indiana’s reluctance to add more long-term salary.

Nuggets Notes: Two-Big Lineup, Braun, Watson, Murray, Jones, Delk

After being named the Nuggets‘ permanent head coach in the spring, David Adelman has shown during the preseason that he’s willing to experiment with unusual lineup combinations to see what clicks, writes Vinny Benedetto of The Denver Gazette.

One of those lineups has seen centers Nikola Jokic and Jonas Valanciunas share the court. Adelman, who has used the two big men together for just a couple minutes in the second quarter in each of the past two games, admitted prior to Tuesday’s preseason matchup with Chicago that the unit is a work in progress, per Bennett Durando of The Denver Post (subscription required).

“I thought it was hilarious to watch it on tape,” Adelman said. “We haven’t had a ton of time (practicing with) those guys. They’ve scripted together, but they haven’t played together. But it’s kind of like, rip the Band-Aid off and just see what happens.

“… If they end up playing together a lot, we’ll slowly but surely add a package for those two guys,” he continued. “And not just for them, but to make the other three guys comfortable. I’ve made this point about Houston. Offensively, with the two bigs, (Alperen) Sengun was the point person, and (Steven) Adams just crushed the glass. So it’s like, our personalities are a little bit different. Val can crash the glass, but he’s also skilled. So I have to find a way to get those guys comfortable in space so they’re not right on top of each other.”

We have more on the Nuggets:

  • Both eligible for rookie scale extensions until Monday, fourth-year players Christian Braun and Peyton Watson have shown this month that they’re still adding new elements to their games, Durando writes in another story for The Denver Post. Braun has exhibited an increased willingness to take the ball to the basket, while Watson has operated on the ball more frequently this fall than in the past, Durando notes. Braun and Watson will be eligible for restricted free agency in 2026 if they don’t sign new deals before the season begins.
  • Jamal Murray has a history of starting seasons slow, but he looks well positioned to change that narrative this year, Benedetto writes for The Denver Gazette. Murray scored 30 points on 18 shots in Tuesday’s win over Chicago and appears to be “physically and mentally” ready for the season, says Benedetto.
  • Within the same story, Benedetto observes that two-way player Spencer Jones has frequently been used as the 10th man in Denver’s rotation this preseason, ahead of players like Jalen Pickett, Julian Strawther, and DaRon Holmes. The former undrafted rookie out of Stanford, entering his second season on a two-way contract with the Nuggets, has been lauded by Adelman for his defensive versatility.
  • The Nuggets have hired former NBA guard Tony Delk as a scout, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link). Delk, who appeared in 545 regular season games for eight teams from 1996-2006, most recently served as a pro personnel scout for the Mavericks.

Fischer’s Latest: Braun, M. Williams, Kessler, Markkanen, Love

As was the case a year ago, some of the players eligible for rookie scale extensions this fall are seeking new deals with an average annual value of $30MM, according to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link).

One of those players, Fischer writes, is Nuggets wing Christian Braun. League sources who have spoken to Fischer suggest that the low end of an extension for Braun could be in the neighborhood of $25MM annually.

Braun, 24, made a strong case for a lucrative new contract in his first season as a full-time starter in 2024/25, averaging 15.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.1 steals in 33.9 minutes per game. All of those numbers were career highs, as were his shooting percentages of 58.0% from the floor, 39.7% on three-pointers, and 82.7% from the free throw line.

While Braun is a viable candidate for a new deal ahead of the October 20 deadline, teammate Peyton Watson appears unlikely to be extended before the season, according to Fischer, who explains that Denver’s cap and tax situation going forward will make the club reluctant to lock in too many role players on guaranteed multiyear deals.

Here’s more from Fischer:

  • The Suns aren’t considered likely to work out a rookie scale extension with center Mark Williams this month, Fischer reports. Sources tell The Stein Line that Phoenix would prefer to continue evaluating Williams during the 2025/26 season and see whether he can have a healthier year after not playing more than 44 games in any of his first three NBA seasons. The big man would be a restricted free agent next summer.
  • Confirming a prior report from The Athletic, Fischer writes that the Jazz and Walker Kessler have no momentum toward a rookie scale extension and that the young center is expected to become a restricted free agent in 2026. Not extending Kessler now would also make him easier to trade during the season if Utah decides to go in that direction. The Lakers have repeatedly been identified as a team with interest, and Fischer hears the Suns eyed Kessler before trading for Williams in June.
  • While the Jazz remain open to listening to inquiries on Lauri Markkanen, they’re not actively looking to move the standout forward, says Fischer. In the short term, Kevin Love is the more obvious trade candidate in Utah, Fischer continues, observing that Love’s 20-minute stint in Wednesday’s preseason opener had teams wondering if the Jazz were trying to showcase him for potential suitors. While I’d be surprised if Utah is able to get anything for Love on the trade market, finding a team willing to sign him to a minimum-salary contract could benefit the Jazz, since he’d be more inclined to give up money in a buyout if he has a new destination lined up.

Nuggets Notes: Braun, Watson, Brown, Defense

After hearing his superstar teammate Nikola Jokic say on media day that his plan is to “be with the Nuggets forever,” Christian Braun suggested in a conversation with Mark Medina of Sportskeeda that he has a similar mindset.

“That has been my whole career. I have wanted to win in one spot,” Braun said. “I played with the same AAU team for seven years. I never switched up my AAU team. I was with my same high school coach my whole career and never switched high schools. I was at Kansas. I thought about leaving Kansas, but I couldn’t do it. I just wanted to be in the same spot.

“You gain a relationship with those people and trust with those people. So that’s who I am as a person. We’ve won here [in 2023]. I know what it takes to win. I know what it takes to win with this group and with this organization. I became really close with a lot of the guys around here. So being a Nugget means a lot to me. That’s part of who I am. I want to be in one spot. … I want to win as a Nugget. I don’t want to win anywhere else. Me winning as a Nugget means more than something somewhere else. Being grateful for the people here drives me to want to win in a Nuggets uniform.”

Braun is currently eligible for a rookie scale extension. The deadline to sign a new deal is October 20, and if he doesn’t have an agreement in place by that point, he’ll be headed for restricted free agency next summer.  The fourth-year guard said it’s not his job to worry about those contract negotiations, which he’ll leave up to his representatives.

“My main priority is to get better as an individual and get better as a team and win,” Braun told Medina. “Ultimately if we win, I know that I got to be taken care of.”

Here’s more out of Denver:

  • In addition to Braun, fellow 2022 first-rounder Peyton Watson is also eligible for a rookie scale extension this month. He said on media day earlier this week that he’s not stressed about what his next deal will look like, per Bennett Durando of The Denver Post. “We’re just taking it day by day,” Watson said. “… I was telling (Nuggets VP of player personnel) Jon (Wallace) not too long ago, I’ve got everything that I’ve ever needed and wanted. I’ve got more money than I ever thought that I would ever make. So I’m not one of those guys who’s only playing basketball for the money. I’ve always played it for the enjoyment and the love of the game. And it’s put me in a position where I’m gonna have the opportunity to make some money here in this league. But I’m young. I’ve got a lot of time. I know that I’ll make a lot of money in this game.”
  • After playing for three teams over the past two seasons, Bruce Brown is thrilled to be back with the Nuggets, and that feeling is mutual, according to Medina, who notes that teammate Aaron Gordon referred to Brown as the “ultimate glue guy.” Speaking to Medina in a Sportskeeda interview, Brown explained what goes into playing that role: “Whatever the team needs me to do, I’ll do. If they need me to play backup (point guard) or if they need me to play at the three, whatever they need me to do, I’ll do it. My pride is put aside. I’ve played every position in the league. So whatever it takes to win, I’ll do it.”
  • Defensive intensity has been a point of emphasis for the Nuggets during training camp, as Durando writes for The Denver Post. New permanent head coach David Adelman even said he wouldn’t mind if the offense “takes a little step back” if it means the defense improves. Last season, Denver had the NBA’s fourth-best offensive rating but ranked just 21st on the defensive end. “If we get to around top-10 defensively,” Gordon said, “it’s going to put us in a position to win it all.”

Nuggets Notes: Jokic, Valanciunas, Braun, Brown, Murray

Three-time MVP and 2023 Finals MVP Nikola Jokic declined to sign a veteran extension with the Nuggets this summer, but that decision was more about maximizing his earnings rather than any sign of disconnect, he confirmed today (Twitter link via Chris Dempsey of Altitude Sports).

My plan is to be with the Nuggets forever,” Jokic said. 

Jokic has long said he admires Tim Duncan, who spent all 19 years of his illustrious career with the Spurs.

The Nuggets were reportedly anticipating that Jokic might bypass an extension due to the additional year and extra $79MM they can offer next summer.

Based on the latest salary cap projections, a three-year, maximum-salary for Jokic beginning in 2027/28 would be worth $206.4MM. A four-year deal, available next offseason, would be worth a projected $285.4MM.

Here’s more on the Nuggets:

  • New backup center Jonas Valanciunas was heavily linked to Greek powerhouse Panathinaikos this summer shortly after Denver agreed to acquire him in a trade sending Dario Saric to Sacramento. When asked about that interest, Valanciunas made it clear he was focused on the present, as Vinny Benedetto of The Denver Gazette relays (via Twitter). “One thing I want to clarify is I’m here. I’m happy to be here. I’m going to dive in to win more games than ever,” Valanciunas said. Interestingly, head coach David Adelman said the Nuggets will explore using Jokic and Valanciunas together at times, tweets Benedetto.
  • Executive VP of player personnel Jon Wallace said the Nuggets have had “preliminary conversations” with Christian Braun about a potential rookie scale extension, per Bennett Durando of The Denver Post (Twitter link). “We hope to kind of build on (those talks) in the next couple days. He’s a large part of what we do,” Wallace said. Braun, who will remain extension-eligible through Oct. 20, said he wasn’t frustrated that a deal hasn’t been completed yet (Twitter link from Benedetto).
  • Veteran swingman Bruce Brown is back with the Nuggets after spending the past two years on three different teams. He tells Marc J. Spears of Andscape that leaving in 2023 free agency after the championship run was purely a financial decision. “I left (Denver) obviously because I got paid really well; I didn’t want to leave,” Brown said. “It was tough to leave, but I had to. I was in a place like Indy, which was on the verge of being really good. And I ended up being traded to teams where they were rebuilding and not really in a position to win a championship. And if you know how I play, I like to win. I don’t like to lose. So, as soon as I got to Toronto, I thought about coming back to Denver right away. Fast forward to getting traded to New Orleans. Another tough spot. A lot of injuries there. And the whole time I was in New Orleans, I was thinking about the Nuggets.”
  • After an injury limited his effectiveness in both the 2024 playoffs with Denver and in the Paris Olympics with Canada, Jamal Murray says he feels much better this year heading into training camp, tweets Benedetto. I just feel a lot better than last summer. That’s always positive,” said Murray.

Nuggets Notes: Adelman, Johnson, Braun, Murray, C. Jones

David Adelman will enter his first full season as Nuggets head coach with the type of roster that former coach Michael Malone was hoping for, along with sudden pressure to win big, writes Sean Keeler of The Denver Post. Adelman didn’t face those kinds of expectations when he took over for Malone late in the season, but he guided the team to the second round of the playoffs and a seven-game series with eventual champion Oklahoma City.

The new management team bolstered the roster by trading for Cameron Johnson and Jonas Valanciunas and adding Bruce Brown and Tim Hardaway Jr. in free agency. Keeler states that it’s how the roster should have looked in 2023/24, when former general manager Calvin Booth decided to emphasize the development of young players over defending the NBA title.

“We think we’ve given ourselves a chance to give (Adelman) some tools, to have some resources to where we can be competitive,” said executive vice president of player personnel Jon Wallace. “Obviously, the season has to play itself out. But do we feel confident? Yes. But like I said, there’s a lot of basketball to be played. These guys have to gel. (Adelman’s) got to put his new philosophies in. So, time will tell.”

Johnson, who was acquired from Brooklyn in a trade involving Michael Porter Jr., expressed his excitement about being with a title contender again during an introductory news conference on Friday, Keeler adds.

“I want to win,” he said. “At the end of the day, I want to win. I want to win a championship. And obviously, we have the pieces to do it here. And that’s what I’m most excited about.”

There’s more on the Nuggets:

  • There are varied projections about what Christian Braun‘s extension might look like, but it’s reasonable to expect an average annual value of at least $30MM, Bennett Durando of The Denver Post states in a mailbag column. If he does reach that figure, Durando adds, the Nuggets will face a cap squeeze in 2026/27 with the starting lineup plus Zeke Nnaji combining for more than $200MM against a second apron currently projected at $222.4MM. Team salary could increase depending on how management handles Peyton Watson‘s potential extension, Valanciunas’ non-guaranteed contract and the options they hold on four rookie-scale contracts.
  • Nuggets fans should be encouraged by reports of Jamal Murray workouts during his time in Las Vegas, observes Troy Renck of The Denver Post. Murray, who struggled through a disappointing Olympics experience last offseason, has trained with Denver’s Summer League team and taken part in private workouts with some of the league’s best players.
  • A strong Summer League showing should help Curtis Jones land Denver’s final two-way spot, tweets Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports. The rookie guard out of Iowa State, who  gets an A from Keeler in a full story examining his play in Las Vegas.