Christian

Braun

Braun has begun to take off recently, providing improved value on both ends of the floor. The five steals were a career-high, and he also provided solid points, rebounds, and assists in 36 minutes on the floor. He’s providing top 50 per-game value, something few expected before the season began. And it isn’t as if Braun is doing anything “super-human” to be a top 50 fantasy player. He should be rostered in more than 51% of Yahoo leagues as he currently is.

With Jamal Murray back in the lineup, Braun’s production was something to watch during Friday’s game. He played well, making the most of his opportunities and scoring 21 points. Braun has accounted for 20 or more in two straight games, which is the first time he’s done so as a professional. Fantasy managers aren’t expecting Braun to provide 20 points (or more) per night, but being a credible offensive threat will boost his value.

Braun had one of the best performances of his career in this game. He fell one point shy of tying his career-high for points, but he was able to set a new career-high for 3-pointers. Braun has been a top-50 player in 9-cat leagues so far with the best averages of his career across the board. This statistical jump was unexpected, and he has been more than the beneficiary of a larger role. Getting Braun in the later rounds seems like it will end up being a league-winning move based on the early results.

Aaron Gordon is set to miss 2-4 weeks with a calf strain, and Watson got the start in his place in this game. It wasn’t a spectacular first day, but it should be his job for a few weeks. He came up with a big block on a Shai Gilgeous-Alexander layup attempt on the final play that sealed the win for Denver, which came right after he missed two free throws that would’ve put the game away. He showed great resilience on that play, and he should continue to provide defensive numbers in an increased role for the next few weeks.

Unlike fellow starters Nikola Jokic, Michael Porter Jr., and Aaron Gordon, Braun played into the fourth quarter of Saturday’s win. But he wasn’t on the court very long, as the outcome was not in doubt. Braun has reached double figures in all six of Denver’s games, scoring 16 or more in three. The improved production is why he’s providing 5th-round per-game value, yet Braun is still rostered in just 41% of Yahoo leagues. That number should be closer to 50%, especially with Jamal Murray (concussion protocol) sidelined.

Braun was among the few Nuggets to play well in Thursday’s season opener. He shot better than 50% from the field overall while recording two steals and two blocked shots. Braun missed all three of his 3-point attempts, so that must be fixed. However, playing alongside Nikola Jokic will produce cleaner looks for the third-year guard.

While Christian Braun (11 points, four rebounds, one assist, and one 3-pointer in 30 minutes) appears on track to lock down a place in the starting lineup, there’s room for Strawther to contribute consistently in the Nuggets rotation. He shot the ball well on Sunday, and the defensive stats were also solid. The key to Strawther potentially offering reliable value in deep leagues will be his defense; if he can hold his own on that end of the floor (especially with Peyton Watson sidelined), Julian will get consistent playing time.

Unsurprisingly, Denver will keep all three guys around for at least one more season. They are all set to see significant roles this season, with Braun or Strawther likely to start at shooting guard.

For Denver’s preseason opener, Braun answered the question of who would fill the void left by Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. The 2022 first-round pick didn’t provide much offensive production, but he did a solid job on the glass while also tallying one steal and one blocked shot. Nuggets coach Michael Malone hasn’t made any definitive statements regarding the starters for the regular season, so the door may remain open for Julian Strawther to work his way into the mix. In 23 minutes off the bench on Friday, he tallied 11 points, two rebounds, two assists, one blocked shot, and one 3-pointer. Strawther may not be the defender that Braun is, but he does offer a little more offensively, especially in the perimeter shooting department.

Reports indicated that the starting shooting guard job will come down to either Braun or Julian Strawther. It appears that Braun got the nod on Thursday, but that doesn’t mean that the job is his. This situation is worth keeping an eye on, since whoever starts at shooting guard will receive a nice boost in fantasy.