With all the good that the Nuggets’ front office has done this offseason to set the team up for success, it would be crazy to turn around and not extend Christian Braun. One of the few draft picks that has been a success in recent years, Braun has been a great developmental story, and now a trusted, and important starter for this team.
But he’s due for his rookie extension, and the fact that he has played so well means we’re talking about a big number. Sam Vecenie of The Athletic suggests something in the range of five years for $125-$145 million could be a reasonable starting point for Braun’s next deal, which seems in line with players in similar roles around the league.
That would put his next deal right around an average annual value of $25-$30 million per year. There’s going to be some sticker shock as that seems like a big number, but that’s just the cost of drafting and developing good, young players in today’s NBA.
Denver is in a tough spot because the team is in a win-now window for as long as Nikola Jokic is playing at an elite level. Braun is a big part of the team and someone who has a great rapport with the Joker. They certainly can’t afford to let him go, and finding a trade that would save money and return close to equal value would be extremely difficult.
Nuggets owners are going to need to pay to keep core together
The bottom line is that this is the cost of doing business, and the owners are going to have to bite the bullet and pay the piper when it’s time. They’ve paid the luxury tax in recent years, but haven’t spent too deeply into it.
As of now, they are under the tax and may be able to stay there for this season, but that won’t last. If this year, the team can stay competitive and remain under the tax, they are going to have to open up the checkbook next year to keep everyone around.
It seems like a lot of money, but the cap keeps going up, and annual salaries are going to keep getting higher and higher. Braun’s deal will seem crazy, but as a percentage of the cap, it will actually be pretty reasonable. Fans and the front office just need to accept it and get ready to pay the players what they earn to keep this team contending for titles as long as Jokic is in Denver.