The Denver Nuggets are just days away from kicking off their 2025-26 NBA campaign, but Christian Braun has yet to put pen to paper for an extension contract with the team that welcomed him into the league. With the NBA extension deadline hitting this Monday, the question of whether Braun and the Nuggets get a deal done or not has become a bigger topic.
The former Kansas Jayhawks star is reportedly seeking a new contract worth five years, with a range of $115 million to $125 million. There is said to be some “pessimism” about such a contract going through, but the needle may have moved a bit toward Braun's favor.
“Heading into Monday’s extension deadline, there’s cautious optimism that a deal will get done between the Denver Nuggets and Christian Braun, league sources told HoopsHype,” wrote Michael Scotto of HoopsHype on Monday.
“Talks between the Nuggets and Braun’s representative, Bill Duffy of WME Sports, have centered on a five-year deal in the $115-125 million range, league sources told HoopsHype,” added Scotto.
Braun, who turned 24 years old in April, has proven himself to be a valuable member of the Nuggets. While Denver will still go as far as where three-time Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic takes them, Braun has carved out a significant role on the team through his first three years in the pros.
In the 2024-25 NBA season, Braun became a regular starter for the first time and averaged career-highs in points (15.4), rebounds (5.2), assists (2.6) and steals (1.1) per game, as his minutes ballooned from just 20.2 minutes per contest mostly as a reserve in the 2023-24 campaign to 33.9 last season. His efficiency numbers also did not suffer despite bigger responsibilities in 2024-25, as he posted career-bests as well in true shooting percentage (66.5%), win shares (8.0) and win shares per 48 minutes (.144).
Suppose Braun doesn't get an extension from the Nuggets, who are also trying to stay under the first tax apron, they will be at risk of losing him to free agency in the summer of 2026 after exercising their club options on him for the 2024-25 and 2025-26 seasons.
The Nuggets will begin their 2025-26 journey this Thursday away from home, as they face off against Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center in San Francisco.
