Michael Malone issues statement on key Denver Nuggets wing

Christian Braun is going to have a larger role with the Denver Nuggets this season. After a strong rookie campaign, Braun will have some big shoes to fill with the departures of both Bruce Brown and Jeff Green, who left for the Indiana Pacers and Houston Rockets, respectively.

Denver’s head coach, Michael Malone, had a strong message for media members on Tuesday morning in regard to where Braun is at, heading into the new season.

“What I love to see is that Christian is walking around like a guy who’s won a championship,” Malone told reporters (h/t Joel Rush). Christian’s walking around like a guy who a game in the NBA Finals as a rookie… and he should, he was a part of that”

Christian Braun will be key for the Denver Nuggets

Denver’s depth at the forward spot has dissipated quite a bit over the summer. With the aforementioned exits and Vlatko Cancar’s torn ACL, the Nuggets will need to lean on Braun for a great deal this season.

The former Kansas Jayhawk logged about 15.5 minutes per game last year in 76 appearances for Denver. That number will likely jump up 5-10 minutes in the upcoming campaign. Braun was a part of Malone’s rotation in the playoffs last year too. His minutes dropped down to 13 per contest, but the fact that the coach had faith in him says quite a bit.

His athleticism and ability to knock down threes at a serviceable clip make him a prime candidate for more responsibility as Denver looks to repeat as champions.