Nuggets' Christian Braun Gives Health Update After Injury-Riddled Season

Throughout most of the 2025-26 season, the Denver Nuggets were stuck dealing with injury troubles to a key piece of their backcourt, Christian Braun.

Less than a month into the regular season, Braun would go down with a severe ankle sprain that limited him to just 44 appearances throughout the year. He had also dealt with a calf issue during the first round of the playoffs, and when he was on the floor after both injuries, he wasn't quite the explosive two-way player Denver had envisioned him to be.

Braun averaged just 12.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.7 assists while shooting 51.9% from the field and 30.1% from three––a steep drop from the numbers that he had put together in an impressive third-year pro, and far from the production the team had expected after signing him to a $125 million extension in October of 2025.

Christian Braun's Health Has Turned a Positive Corner

However, it seems like in the months that the Nuggets have had time off during the summer leading into the 2026-27 season, Braun has seen his health trend in the right direction.

During Nuggets media day, Braun addressed how he was feeling after the injury that plagued him all throughout last year, going on to note that he feels great with "no restrictions" entering the season.

As to what the Nuggets guard was dealing with last season that led to his abilities being restricted, Braun said it was his first major ankle injury that would become stiff and swollen after games last season, yet he doesn't have any concern about it moving forward.

"I think it was a first major ankle injury. So it was really stiff. It would swell up pretty easily after a game. Pretty big; didn't look normal. But I'm good to go," Braun said on Monday.

"That's kind of where I'm at with it. I feel like I've grinded hard enough on it all summer, and put myself in a good spot. So I'm excited, I'm ready to go, ankle is all good."

Sep 28, 2026; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Christian Braun (0) during media day at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It's all great news for the Nuggets, who have been desperately hoping for Braun to rise back to the same level he played at throughout his third season in Denver; a year that led to him netting a significant pay raise in the process.

When Braun is at 100%, and able to impact the game on both ends as a consistent two-way player, he can be a difference-maker for Denver's backcourt, and be worth the $25 million AAV that the Nuggets paid out to him a little less than a year ago.

However, the Nuggets weren't able to see that investment pay off in full form last season. Braun struggled throughout the year, leading to many questioning whether or not Denver made a brash decision extending their young guard before his fourth season had even started.

And those questions still remain fair to ask. If Braun has another similar year to how he performed last year, that $125 million deal will look even more concerning.

But there is reason to have optimism for what's ahead. Braun is healthy, confident, and has a full offseason of work in the books with the hope that he can get back to that explosive level he was at in year three, and provide that two-way spark Denver's starting lineup could desperately need this season.

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