The squad surrounding Nikola Jokic is loaded with quality, therefore the Denver Nuggets don’t need any young players to step up and shine in 2023–24 NBA competition. However, that does not preclude one of Denver’s young players from making a breakthrough.

Second-year wing Christian Braun will be the Nuggets’ breakout player for the 2023–24 campaign after he gained confidence during the previous postseason and blended in well with the team’s nucleus of stars.

Reasons to believe Christian Braun will soar this yearSuddenly, Braun had a ton of playing time when the Denver Nuggets lost Bruce Brown to the Indiana Pacers in free agency this offseason. Braun only played 15.5 minutes a night in his rookie season, compared to Brown’s 28.5 minutes per game the previous year.

Braun is the clear choice to replace Brown, though, if the Nuggets want to replicate several of his on-court accomplishments, including his deft cuts, disruptive on-ball defense, and ability to rebound on both ends. Although Denver intends to allocate further playing time to Peyton Watson, another promising player, Braun can still bring significant value to the Nuggets without really needing the ball in his hands.

Although Braun’s numbers aren’t very impressive, anyone who watched the Nuggets dominate the playoffs can see how his intensity off the bench affected several games. In less than 20 minutes, Braun’s performance in Game 3 of the NBA Finals against the Miami Heat, when he shot 7 of 8 from the field and added four rebounds, an assist, and a steal, was remarkable for a rookie. Playing with Nikola Jokic, who is perhaps the best distributor in the game, Braun’s smart cuts help create space on the floor for shooters like Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. This is a crucial position for Denver’s attack, as Murray can concentrate more on the offensive end of the ball with Braun taking on the most difficult defensive assignments.

Wearing a cown, Christian Braun

Sharing the floor with Jokic, Murray, and Porter Jr. means Christian Braun won’t ever put up massive scoring totals, but his influence off the ball for the Nuggets will be evident. Bruce Brown was paid handsomely by the Pacers to perform the same function, and with a breakout season, Braun should be able to fill that job and see a rapid increase in value throughout the league.