5 years, $125 million! Braun agrees to extension with Nuggets to help Jokic chase another championship

On October 21 Beijing time, according to Shams, the Nuggets and Braun have agreed on a five-year, $125 million rookie contract extension.

Braun, selected 21st overall in the 2022 NBA Draft, has emerged as a significant find for the Nuggets' front office. Executives Ben Tanz and Jon Wallace prioritized negotiating a long-term contract with Braun to secure him as a core member of the team's future lineup. Last season, Braun became a full-time starter, boosting his scoring average from 7.3 points in the 2023-24 season to 15.4 points; over 79 games played (77 starts), he also averaged 5.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and shot 39.7% from three-point range. Only five players league-wide averaged at least 15 points, 5 rebounds, and shot over 58% overall, with Braun being the sole non-center among them.

As a shooting guard, Braun’s growth is vital for the team, providing support to perennial MVP candidate Nikola Jokic, star guard Jamal Murray, key forward Aaron Gordon, and newcomer Cameron Johnson. ESPN data highlights Braun’s crucial offensive contributions, especially in transition plays, where he led the league in total fast-break points last season. He also became the first player since Buddy Hield in the 2018-19 season to surpass 400 fast-break points in a single campaign.

Meanwhile, reports suggest that before today’s deadline, the Nuggets are unlikely to reach a rookie extension agreement with Payton Watson. Watson was selected by Denver with the 30th pick in the 2022 draft.

Braun is the eighth player from his draft class to sign or agree to a rookie scale extension, following Paul Bunyan, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, Jabari Smith Jr., Keegan Murray, Nikola Jovic, and Shaedon Sharpe. The contract Braun and his agent Bill Duffy finalized is in a similar range to Smith’s five-year, $122 million deal.

With this agreement, the Nuggets have now secured contracts for four starters through at least the 2027-28 season: Braun, superstar Nikola Jokic, Aaron Gordon, and Jamal Murray. However, Jokic holds a player option for the 2027-28 season.