The Denver Nuggets lost Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to free agency this summer, when the veteran wing signed a three-year contract with the Orlando Magic worth $66 million.

The reaction was harsh, and immediate. Nuggets fans and pundits were quick to diminish the team as a potential contender this season.

So far, nine games into the season, third-year wing Christian Braun is forcing people to second-guess those early assessments.

The 23-year-old took over Caldwell-Pope’s place in the starting lineup, and so far it seems that such a trade-off has strongly benefited the Nuggets.

Braun is currently scoring 16.6 points per game, while grabbing 5.3 rebounds, and he’s doing so while hitting almost 56% from the field, and netting both a steal and a block per game.

Some of those numbers are probably unsustainable. Braun is hitting exactly 50% from three, and that is likely to drop as the season progresses. But the larger takeaway here is that Braun proved fully capable of being a productive player, and one who could replace Caldwell-Pope. Perhaps even exceed what he offered in the first place.

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What does Braun’s evolution mean for the Nuggets? It depends on which light you look at things through.

For this season, is it enough to make a Finals return? It can’t be ruled out, but Denver does still have some issues to solve to get there. Those aren’t Braun related, and have more to do with their bench, but it’s fair to look at the Oklahoma City Thunder, for example, and consider them a more immediate challenger to the title.

The more interesting perspective is the long-term effect.

Should Braun turn into a reliable 20-point scorer – which doesn’t seem impossible given his improved scoring prowess – it allows the Nuggets to potentially make changes to their current core, including Michael Porter Jr, who is both expensive and has a poor history with injuries.

Porter Jr has three years left on his deal, including this season, and over $114 million remaining in earnings. While the veteran played in 81 games last season, and has played in all nine this season, his multiple back surgeries will always be an area for concern.

Braun himself will become extension eligible after this season, meaning the Nuggets will eventually have to initiate some tough conversations with their own front office about the future of the team from a financial perspective.

It would make sense for Braun to ask for a lot of money if his current production persists, as that would increase his star ranking quite considerably. Is he a future NBA star? That remains to be seen, but the early returns from inserting him into the starting lineup certainly opens that door.

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Braun’s shot-selection has been fantastic, with over 46% of his attempts coming right at the rim, and almost 34% of his attempts coming from behind the three-point line. At 6’6, he’s tall enough to challenge taller interior opponents, and he’s especially adept at playing off superstar Nikola Jokić.

Braun’s sturdy build, of 220 pounds, also helps him absorb contact and still finish plays. He gets to the foul line 3.7 times per night, and that number seems destined to increase as his career progresses.

In many ways, Braun has drawn himself an effective blueprint to level up. Nothing indicates that blueprint can’t be further utilized, which again makes him an interesting contractual case in 2026 when a new contract will trigger.

Until then, however, the team can lean into Braun and see if there’s another leap to be found in the former Kansas product. Right now, he’s certainly answered the call to an extent where it makes sense for Denver to give him even more responsibility.

Unless noted otherwise, all stats via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball-Reference. All salary information via Spotrac. All odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.