lilbelleandsebastian | Supersonics

238 | 6 hours ago

braun is such a good example of how simply being in the orbit of an all time great will change your life

never at any point in his career has this guy been worth a $125 million extension, 90% of that money should go straight to jokic’s horses

CumAssault | SAS

87 | 6 hours ago

He’s like Mozgov but he didn’t have the 93 point game Mozgov had

SpiritedDog9544 | Toronto Huskies

60 | 6 hours ago

⁹³⁄₂₉ legacy game

YSLAnunoby | Raptors

30 | 5 hours ago

93 which was not a career high

shaqfearsyao

23 | 5 hours ago

Wilt, Mozgov, Bam, Kobe

DejounteMurrayisGOAT

12 | 4 hours ago

Not who I would have picked for the NBA’s Mount Rushmore, but facts are facts.

ZeroMomentum | Raptors

1 | an hour ago

Mozgod

crispyiress | Cavaliers

23 | 6 hours ago

This really bothers me about championship teams. They always have to overpay their role players after getting a ring.

Legitimate_Cow_4166 | Warriors

41 | 5 hours ago

Nuggets didn’t have to pay him last off-season. Could’ve just let him hit RFA considering that market is all but dead.

They bid against themselves.

northernpace | Knicks

2 | 4 hours ago

I watch ten games of hockey to one of basketball, so sincere question. In the NHL if a team offer sheets an RFA and the player accepts, the team that lost the player gets draft picks in compensation, relative to the value of the newly signed offer sheet. As in the higher the contract value the more picks in return. Does the NBA operate the same, or does the team just lose the player if they don’t match the offer sheet?

SwizzGod | Lakers

11 | 3 hours ago

They just lose them. It’s not like the nfl or nhl

northernpace | Knicks

3 | 3 hours ago

thanks

Exzqairi | Pistons

3 | 2 hours ago

No such thing as compensation picks in the NBA, also because the draft simply doesn’t have enough good players every year to make that a thing. By the end of the 1st round you’re basically looking at the rest, which are 99% players who will never become NBA starters

northernpace | Knicks

2 | 2 hours ago

Those numbers of who make it don’t sound far off NHL’s numbers. Only 4% of picks drafted after the 16th spot every make the show.

Exzqairi | Pistons

1 | 2 hours ago

That’s very interesting! Much different in the NFL where you can consistently find contributors like 100 picks in

What’s it like in the NHL when it comes to comp picks for non-players? Can you also get comp picks there for coaches, GMs, minority hires etc like in the NFL?

northernpace | Knicks

1 | an hour ago

No such thing for any non player. Only RFA offer sheet signings have comp picks attached, that’s it.

theskyopenedup | Knicks

1 | 3 hours ago

I believe the latter

Adorable-Writing3617 | Spurs

5 | 6 hours ago

It’s because other teams want them. It’s how free market capitalism works. It’s why only teams like the Lakers will almost always be in the running for a championship - willing to pay.

PlayInChampions | Timberwolves

20 | 5 hours ago

Then let Braun hit restricted free agency and see what offers he can get, and match if you think it’s reasonable. There are like 3-4 teams this summer with $22M+ cap space (Braun’s 1st year salary) and none of them would offer a contract to Braun, especially since he is an RFA. When last time a player got an offer sheet from another team, Ayton and Pacers? Thubylle and Dallas?

There is no point to overpay guys like Braun, considering he is a typical Jokic-merchant who won’t be as efficient in another system. Now Denver has to either let Watson go, or get deep into 2nd apron to keep him.

yeahright17 | Thunder

3 | 5 hours ago

If they lose to the Timberwolves in the 1st round, I don’t know what they do. They really can’t do much. Paying into the 2nd apron for a team that got bounced in the 1st round is a tough pill to swallow. Of course injuries are a factor, but AG is only getting older. I don’t like their injury fortunes going forward either.

LeighHart | Nuggets

5 | 3 hours ago

This was the year where everything should have lined up and injuries and lack of a crazy person has killed us. I think we’re kind of fucked

yeahright17 | Thunder

1 | 3 hours ago

Maybe, maybe not. But at least you got a championship first! Can’t take that away.

MainAd2728 | Washington Bullets

0 | 5 hours ago

They will probably salary dump Cam Johnson and resign Peyton Watson

Adorable-Writing3617 | Spurs

1 | an hour ago

They have to shore up their talent. It’s how they keep Joker. They have chemistry. Wait until the lottery years come back, you’ll long for playoff years.

delta-red-14

0 | 5 hours ago

Except when the Lakers lost Caruso, KCP, and Kuzma after their chip to pay for Westbrook?

Adorable-Writing3617 | Spurs

2 | 2 hours ago

They pay for names if they cannot get a ring. They have fair weather fans who are star struck. It’s a business.

SwizzGod | Lakers

1 | 3 hours ago

You don’t have to. And really you shouldn’t. Watch what OKC does when some of this guys contracts comes up

GuacKiller

1 | 3 hours ago

It’s part of Pat Riley’s Disease of Me. After you win it’s about getting yours. No fault on the players, happens to every championship team.

reallinguy | Pistons

6 | 5 hours ago

and they’re going to do the same with Peyton Watson!

GeriatricGamete67 | Nuggets

-3 | 5 hours ago

Watson actually is good though

reallinguy | Pistons

31 | 4 hours ago

90% of you Nuggets fans thought Braun was good last year and deserved that extension.

YaPhetsEz

3 | 3 hours ago

Watson at least is showing more Jokic-less flashes than Braun. I got downvoted last offseason for saying that braun had zero offensive game minus cutting for Jokic

LeighHart | Nuggets

4 | 3 hours ago

You’re not wrong but it would’ve been alright if he improved from last year, but he hasn’t and this may be the injury but he’s probably worse now

braddeus | Heat

1 | 5 hours ago

“We have a MPJ at home”

MPJ at home:

Millies_ButtersMilk | Timberwolves

1 | 4 hours ago

No lie told, he had no bad whatsoever and it’s not like he’s a known lockdown defender in the league either. That’s money they coulda used to pay P Watson for next year and keep cam but now they got to choose between Watson and cam instead of letting Braun walk.

Former-Knowledge1797 | Nuggets

1 | an hour ago

Ding ding ding

CrippledBanana | Canada

156 | 6 hours ago

I blame this entirely in him changing his look to look like a skinhead since that is obviously related to your ability in basketball

cl353 | Heat

46 | 6 hours ago

idk who the fk told him that beard looked real but thats the root cause of all the nuggets struggles

JohnnyWarlord | Timberwolves

16 | 3 hours ago

Everytime braun tries to defend ant it looks racist now.

Comprehensive-Ad424 | Raptors

13 | 6 hours ago

funnily enough, i think Jakob might bounce back if he shaves his head and gets some ink

Not_RZA_ | Lakers

8 | 6 hours ago

He’s balding, hence the haircut

Adorable-Writing3617 | Spurs

9 | 6 hours ago

That’s called “coming home”.

ih-unh-unh | Lakers

1 | 4 hours ago

Tribute to Matt Geiger for accomplishing as much as he did after he shaved his head

Beetle919 | Hornets

64 | 6 hours ago

Traded away MPJ just to DNP Valanciunas and get 6 points from Cam Johnson lol.

Proof-Umpire-7718 | Lakers

11 | 5 hours ago

At least THJ bas been great, but yeah that trade is aging poorly.

TheMoonWasBlue

5 | 5 hours ago

You’re both fucked in the head.

That trade got them Cam, plus got them off MPJs salary which turned into Val, THJ (who made more threes this year than MPJ ever did), and Brown. They were also left with room to sign Spencer Jones off his 2-way in the midst of the injury stretch.

They needed a bench more than anything.

VladimirPutain1 | Timberwolves

18 | 5 hours ago

I don’t understand how the trade opened up the possibility of signing Hardaway when he’s only on a veteran minimum contract?

bballin773

19 | 5 hours ago

It didn’t other than saving the owners luxury tax money.

VladimirPutain1 | Timberwolves

17 | 5 hours ago

Well, nothing’s more important than that

Beetle919 | Hornets

11 | 5 hours ago

Gave up a 2032 unprotected first too, that fella is crashing out up there.

Hot_Relative3020

2 | 5 hours ago

The trade would have been worth it if they didn’t sign Braun to that terrible extension. Just let Watson and Braun hit RFA and signed both in this years restricted FA.

TheMoonWasBlue

2 | 5 hours ago

You’re aware that being in an apron introduces trade restrictions, right?

It’s not just (completely) a matter of money. You have less flexibility in an apron.

TheMoonWasBlue

3 | 5 hours ago

They were hell bent on getting under the first apron, which wasn’t happening with MPJ on the books

dkleckner88 | Timberwolves

3 | 5 hours ago

You’re right that moving MPJ opened up flexibility, but Val is unplayable in this series. Cam Johnson is very inconsistent. THJ is a one trick pony who can’t defend. Bruce Brown is Bruce Brown. Spencer Jones is the 10th guy on a good team. While multiple contenders were willing to give up a FRP for MPJ at the deadline. Their “depth” is failing them when they need it most, so did they really do a good job of building out the bench?

TheMoonWasBlue

3 | 5 hours ago

Ok just for the sake of argument, I’ll accept your characterizations (even though I disagree some).

What should they have done? You keep MPJ, and you’re in the apron along with the trade restrictions that come with it.

Val and THJ are one year situations, and Cam has one more year making him a decent trade piece in the off season.

They were staring into the abyss with the MPJ contract on the books and did the best they could IMO.

Hot_Relative3020

0 | 5 hours ago

The MPJ trade only got them Johnson and Val in terms of on court production. Keeping that pick and the owners just copping the tax bill would surely be better for team building.

dkleckner88 | Timberwolves

0 | 4 hours ago

Nugs are ~$15M below the second apron right now. They should have found a way to clear Zeke’s $8M from the books. Kept MPJ. They would still have had space to sign THJ and Brown. Jonas would have had to taken a little less, but they still could have made it work. They also keep their unprotected 2032 pick in this scenario.

TheMoonWasBlue

1 | 4 hours ago

They are below because they traded MPJ…

How does Jonas “take a little less?” It was a trade for Saric.

dkleckner88 | Timberwolves

2 | 4 hours ago

You’re right, forgot that was a trade for Jonas. Jonas would not have worked in this scenario, but again, he’s not playable this series so he’s doing nothing for them.

Cam makes $20M, Zeke makes $8M and Jonas makes $10M….combined, thats roughly MPJ’s salary. Then you still have $15M under the second apron for other moves. Basically Zeke and Jonas are eating up $18M in cap and are non contributors, while Cam is an obvious downgrade from MPJ who they had to attach a pick to get rid of.

Legitimate_Cow_4166 | Warriors

2 | 5 hours ago

You’re both fucked in the head.

You’re the simpleton here. THJ is a minimum contract. The trade had nothing to do with him.

And before you say Aprons…the Nuggets are $15M under the 2nd apron. They aren’t facing any real restrictions until they hit that 2nd apron limit.

TheMoonWasBlue

0 | 5 hours ago

Denver’s main goal was getting under the apron…. Please run along and go cry over Steve Kerr

Legitimate_Cow_4166 | Warriors

0 | 5 hours ago

Steve Kerr can fucking go!

TheMoonWasBlue

2 | 5 hours ago

Stop editing your comments like a doofus.

The Nuggets were in the second apron until they traded MPJ…..

Legitimate_Cow_4166 | Warriors

2 | 4 hours ago

Nuggets were not over the 2nd apron with MPJ. They were just below by about $2-3M. The restrictions start when you go over the 2nd apron.

Don’t call others doofuses when you have such a poor handling of the situation.

Hot_Relative3020

2 | 5 hours ago

THJ and Brown are minimum players nothing to do with MPJ trade as you can sign a minimum regardless of cap space

Hot_Relative3020

2 | 5 hours ago

THJ is a min player nothing to do with MPJ trade

Watermelonmilkman

0 | 3 hours ago

No? That gave the nuggets cap space to sign him. Without it, nuggets couldn’t have signed him.

Hot_Relative3020

1 | 3 hours ago

You don’t understand how the cap works. Nuggets need to fill the roster and 1 year vet mins are the cheapest contracts in the league. The space had nothing to do with the THJ signing

Longjumping_One_9164 | Thunder

2 | 4 hours ago

At the start of the season I highlighted this exact fact - JV cat play in the Playoffs, Cam Johson was not an actual upgrade over MPJ and although THJ was good in the Regular Season will get smacked in the Playoffs.

The amount of Nuggets fans that didnt want to acknowledge was insane. All three of those three have been largely awful in games of consequence for years.

They have either not seen the floor, been benched or been absolutely awful so far.

Those guys are just who they’ve always been. Decent Regular Season players, but huge negatives in the Playoffs. And its being confirmed once again without Jokic, AG or Murray heroics.

Puddinsnack | Raptors

2 | 4 hours ago

I love JV but I have core memories of him missing like 3 bunnies at the rim in the last 30 seconds of game 1 of the LeBronto series.

HenrikCrown | Pelicans

59 | 6 hours ago

Running around doing nothing

CumAssault | SAS

18 | 6 hours ago

He did help them win a ring and is a decent defender. But he’s going to get cap dumped at this point

incredibleamadeuscho | Lakers

10 | 6 hours ago

he didnt get paid based off what he did in 2023.

amonkeysbanana | Nuggets

-9 | 5 hours ago

He got paid because other teams would have offered that since he has a ring. Don’t agree with the signing but he at least was doing what we needed from him before his injury this year. I imagine his salary will suck for OKC because Cason Wallace is going to see Brauns salary and ask for more than that.

incredibleamadeuscho | Lakers

7 | 4 hours ago

He got paid because other teams would have offered that since he has a ring.

Teams don’t offer role players money based on a ring. They offer it based of past talent or potential. The Nuggets thought he could be a starting level player on a championship team, which is why he got paid.

amonkeysbanana | Nuggets

1 | 4 hours ago

Bruce Brown?

incredibleamadeuscho | Lakers

1 | 4 hours ago

It wasnt because of the ring. It was because of how he played (past talent). If he played like that in the playoffs and he lost in the finals, he would still get paid.

yeahright17 | Thunder

2 | 5 hours ago

But OKC can be like “he’s obviously not worth that amount.” OKC will crash and burn if they start handing out contracts based on other team’s worst contracts. It’s like people saying Hartenstein is going to have to get paid a lot more than Poeltl. Like no. Poeltl is obviously on a terrible contract and is not a good barometer for what the market is.

amonkeysbanana | Nuggets

1 | 5 hours ago

I mean just wait and see is all I’ll say. Bruce Brown got a stupid high deal after winning a chip with us. Easy for folks online to say they know better after the fact

yeahright17 | Thunder

0 | 4 hours ago

But most teams aren’t handing out stupid high deals anymore. They’ve all seen what happens when you do. Wallace may very well get $25M/yr, but it’ll be because he’s worth that. Not because the Nuggets gave Braun a contract that was way too big.

amonkeysbanana | Nuggets

1 | 4 hours ago

lol if you think every front office simultaneously learned from others mistakes you’ve got another thing coming. Again, I don’t agree with the Braun signing, I’m just not surprised by it. And I think people online, like yourself, act like they know better about how bad a signing is because of how it played out a year later.

yeahright17 | Thunder

0 | 4 hours ago

because of how it played out a year later.

This is fair. The consensus at the time was definitely that it was a fair deal, but there were plenty of people that thought it was an overpay at the time. It was based on the idea he was a good 3-pt shooter with great defense. And while he had been a good 3-pt shooter, he wasn’t in the playoffs and never had much volume.

Also, I don’t think every front office learned. But I think OKC’s front office definitely has. There’s a reason Chet got no escalators in his deal. It was a flat 25% max. Most of the max contracts we’ve seen given out recently have escalators that would have bumped that to 30% if Chet makes an all-NBA team, which he’s going to do. Not having escalators will save OKC like $9M/yr in cap space.

bballin773

0 | 5 hours ago

Nobody knows what other teams would do because he never got to RFA in the first place. Maybe a dumb team would give him that contract like the kings, but smart teams would know that a shooting guard who is a very reluctant shooter and who’s a decent defender but not a lockdown one would be MLE money not 20+ million. He’s literally in the best situation possible for his offensive skills because of Jokic.

phantombrick22 | Magic

2 | 6 hours ago

Chris Brauan tricked yall man…

axecalibur | CHI

1 | 8 minutes ago

It’s easy to shit on him, but he’s probably injured and Denver doesn’t have enough warm bodies.

WobbleKun | Raptors

45 | 6 hours ago

our boy is a unit of measurement for overpaid players 😭

Gristle__McThornbody | Lakers

35 | 6 hours ago

Hope the Lakers throw a 35m a year offer sheet to Payton Watsan just make the Nuggets life a little more difficult lol.

LosAngeLukaGOAT | Cote D'Ivoire

15 | 5 hours ago

I honestly think this is what we’re going to do lool.

Proof-Umpire-7718 | Lakers

6 | 5 hours ago

Same. He’d be a perfect fit because we sorely need more defense and athleticism, and he’s also extremely young and has shown incredible offensive upside, particularly this season.

axecalibur | CHI

1 | 7 minutes ago

Klutch Lakers

Barracuda374

-1 | 4 hours ago

They’re gonna dump one of Braun, Cam, or Gordon before they let PWat walk.

Not_RZA_ | Lakers

20 | 6 hours ago

Do yall just love to hate players, more than actually enjoy the game?

tummyaich | Nuggets

12 | 4 hours ago

miserable sub most of the time honestly just hate and agendas

CrippledBanana | Canada

4 | 6 hours ago

It is kinda tiring lol. Place is very reactive too where someone becomes dogshit to the goat in one game.

Exception though is paolo, I can always hate on Paulo

chillhoops24 | Magic

0 | 5 hours ago

Why

Shadezilla

-4 | 4 hours ago

Because PB no J is up there with Day to Davis, and CP3-6 weeks

americandolphinn

-6 | 4 hours ago

But Braun is a loser so it’s funny

Not_RZA_ | Lakers

9 | 3 hours ago

He’s made millions of dollars playing a child’s game, and we know nothing about his personal life. How is that a loser?

What have you done with your life?

Just_Passenger5005 | Mavericks

2 | an hour ago

Braun has won at all levels of the game as well.

Adorable-Writing3617 | Spurs

11 | 6 hours ago

Salary isn’t about a 1 game performance. If Denver wins the next one all the narratives will shift. Fans are fickle as fuck.

yeahright17 | Thunder

13 | 5 hours ago

Braun hasn’t been very good all season.

BayesBestFriend | Raptors

6 | 4 hours ago

He got injured like every other starter

yeahright17 | Thunder

1 | 4 hours ago

Yep. It could very well be that he’s been hurt. That doesn’t change the fact he’s been bad all year. Maybe he’ll be better next year. Maybe not. Regardless, a lot of people aren’t judging him based on one game.

Adorable-Writing3617 | Spurs

1 | 2 hours ago

Strange they don’t judge when he wins.

claquetectonique | Kings

1 | 26 minutes ago

Not every starter. Jamal played 75 games. The irony is rich here, of course.

Adorable-Writing3617 | Spurs

1 | 2 hours ago

Denver has a good record.

postwarcookie5

3 | 5 hours ago

look I know we didn’t play well and I don’t mind poking fun at my own team but I feel like people are acting like the wolves have already won

Adorable-Writing3617 | Spurs

2 | 2 hours ago

They will until the Nuggets win one. Doom scrollers doom scroll.

Andy_Wiggins | Timberwolves

11 | 6 hours ago

While I’m happy to celebrate Braun’s overpay and make fun of his lack of production, I do think he’s at least somewhat impacted by that injury he had in the regular season.

The offense is pretty woefully bad though. Dude can’t really do anything if it’s not spoon fed by Jokic.

ViciousMihael

2 | 4 hours ago

He was much much better last year.

YSLAnunoby | Raptors

8 | 5 hours ago

This almost feels disrespectful to Jak

tonydanzatapdances | Raptors

3 | 5 hours ago

Lets fucking go, Raptors fans have eaten enough shit online lately lets shit on some other fan bases bad contracts

SloshaPacana

3 | 6 hours ago

Still somehow their best perimeter defender

HugeZookeepergame815

6 | 6 hours ago

Thats the issue, everyone know jokic can’t defend small athletic guards getting line drives to the rim, but their team doesn’t help him at all to try stop or even slow down those drives to begin with, they drive by murray and Braun way too easy

yeahright17 | Thunder

4 | 5 hours ago

They need AG.

YSLAnunoby | Raptors

1 | 5 hours ago

I thought it was Watson (of course he’s injured rn)

tummyaich | Nuggets

1 | 4 hours ago

other brown

sleepless_inseattle | Supersonics

2 | 6 hours ago

Him and bridges on a team would be crazy. Maybe even the sonics after the expansion draft.

Vicentesteb | Timberwolves

2 | 6 hours ago

Really screwed the Nuggets, they will now have to do some moves in the offseason to afford Watson who looks way way better.

ArgentoFox

2 | 6 hours ago

His offensive development is nonexistent. How he hasn’t developed a mid range jumper or even a floater at this point is baffling.

duce3612 | Timberwolves

2 | 6 hours ago

But he did a cool point at the Wolves bench

Low_Interaction_7831 | Lakers

2 | 5 hours ago

$125 mil extension??? Jesus

Rocky-Rocker

1 | 5 hours ago

He might be cooked as a basketball player but he is a successful bag getter.

Few_Position_2727 | Lakers

1 | 5 hours ago

He was really good during their title run, crazy to see him regress so badly

fckpcklball

1 | 4 hours ago

I don’t know the nuggets. Subreddit fan seem absolutely crazy for this guy lol… Like some of their tags on their subreddit are things like “Christian Bruan nationalist”

EssentIYO | Magic

1 | 4 hours ago

When “had to pay em” goes wrong.

onefootback | Raptors

1 | 3 hours ago

am i the only one who didn’t think it was a bad extension at the time? ¹²⁵⁄₅ for a young efficient player who can shoot and play great defence seemed like a normal price, only issue is that he’s regressed badly

Confident_Pear_8303

1 | 3 hours ago

Yes, and has never played “great defence”. His best defence can be described as slightly above average.

onefootback | Raptors

1 | 3 hours ago

welp, at least he’s not on my team

Punjabiveer30 | Raptors

1 | 3 hours ago

“What he say fuck me for?” - Yak

NoLimitSoldier31

1 | 3 hours ago

No way this dude is healthy. He was a dog in all the other series vs wolves

p00chology | Bulls

1 | 3 hours ago

Remember when it was Lakers Luol Deng and Davis Bertans that were the namesakes of bad contracts

MogleyJones | Egypt

1 | 2 hours ago

Don’t slander Poeltl you bum

tigerlily_4 | Nuggets

1 | 2 hours ago

People keep acting like it was a bad extension at the time but this season is the first time he’s had a major injury in his career and he just hasn’t bounced back from it yet. IMO he’s in his head too much and needs to go to a therapist or something to get his mojo back.

Cholecosa

1 | an hour ago

Scrappy player misidentified as role player.

dattebayo07 | Knicks

1 | 7 minutes ago

Hey we have one of those too!!! 🙌

TuqiDuque12 | Pistons

0 | 6 hours ago

He’s a really good finisher on fast breaks and can guard an iso vs guys who aren’t too quick or too big for him (so basically just wings), other then that I’m not sure what he actually does at an average NBA level.

Like the contract is a problem of course, but are we sure he’s a starting level player even ? Like if you just swapped him for like Kevin Huerter or Aaron Wiggins does that even make Denver worse ?

Hot_Relative3020

1 | 5 hours ago

I thought it was a bad contract as soon as it was signed but to be fair he did flash difference making level defense and good enough shooting to where he could have been an extremely valuable player because then his transition play and cutting is difference maker.

JohnnyWarlord | Timberwolves

0 | 3 hours ago

I cant believe they paid braun like hes naz reid

donkeyinparadise | Nets

-2 | 5 hours ago

There’s another lesson we should learn: when you want money, you have to be aggressive. Braun took to the press to leak information implying ownership being cheap when the negotiation was stuck (many Nuggets fans got instantly riled up lol—better own it now).

Also you gotta leverage personal relationships. Braun got really close to Jokic and openly said he moved his locker to be next to Jok etc. That relationship played a somewhat important role in getting him that contract. Many things I prefer not to bring in, but I think Jok particularly likes him for non-sports reasons.

I’ll never forgive Braun for one disgusting trick he played (told me everything I needed to know about someone).

Sigh but I still love Jokic—hopefully he bounces back and makes the series more interesting.

Christian “Jakob Poeltl” Braun in game 3 loss: 2 points, 2 rebounds, 1 block, 0 field goals, -19. $125 million extension does not kick in until next year