26+28+30! No. 1 in the league! This is why the Nuggets gave him a $125 million contract

The new NBA season is about to start. Many of the 2022 rookies have completed early contract extensions before the deadline. There are three people who have signed huge contracts worth 100 million yuan. They are Murray of the Kings (USD 140 million in 5 years), Daniels of the Hawks (USD 100 million in 4 years) and Braun of the Nuggets (USD 125 million in 5 years). Murray (No. 4 pick) and Daniels (No. 8 pick) are both high-ranking lottery picks in the 2022 class. They have outstanding talent and unlimited youth. It is reasonable to sign a 100 million yuan contract. On the other hand, Braun is an older non-lottery pick. Signing this big contract seems incredible, but in fact it is worth every penny!

Braun is the No. 21 pick in the first round of the 2022 class, but he seems to have championship DNA in his bones. In high school, Braun led his alma mater to three state championships. In college, Braun played for three full years due to his poor draft pick expectations. It was not until his junior year that he helped the University of Kansas win the NCAA championship before low-key announcing his participation in the draft. This championship title also became a booster for him to become the No. 21 pick in the first round. In his rookie season, Braun followed Jokic to help the Nuggets win the NBA championship. As a result, Braun became the sixth player in history to win championships in the NCAA and NBA for two consecutive years. The first five players were Russell, Bibby, Magic and Billy Thompson.

After the Nuggets won the championship, the incompetent Booth and the stingy boss started the team-breaking mode. Champions such as Bruce Brown, Pope, and Jeff Green left the team one after another. Murray also suffered from frequent injuries. Even though Jokic always maintained MVP-level output, the Nuggets were still drifting away from the championship. However, Braun seized the opportunity and became one of the backbone of the team step by step. Especially last season, Braun became the team's starting shooting guard and frequently created surprises. Among them, against the Thunder on November 7, Braun scored 24 points + 8 rebounds; against the Rockets on January 16, Braun scored 22 points + 4 rebounds; against the Bulls on January 28, Braun scored 28 points + 5 rebounds + 4 assists; against the Trail Blazers on February 11, Braun scored 26 points + 6 rebounds; against the Pacers on April 7, Braun scored 30 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists, setting a career high.

Throughout the season, Braun played in 79 games, averaging 15.4 points + 5.2 rebounds + 2.6 assists + 1.1 steals + 1.1 three-pointers, with a shooting percentage of 58%, a three-point shooting percentage of 39.7%, a free throw percentage of 82.7%, and a true shooting percentage of 66.5%. According to statistics from the NBA's official website, Braun averaged 5.1 points per game on fast breaks last season, beating Antetokounmpo (4.9 points) and James Lao (4.7 points) to rank first in the league. At the same time, Braun is the first player since Curry to average at least 15 points per game and have a true shooting percentage of over 66.5%. Super scorers such as Harden, Durant, and Doncic have not been able to achieve this.

Not only that, Braun is also a natural player for big scenes. The bigger the stage, the better he can handle things. In last season's playoffs, the Nuggets and Thunder battled to the tiebreaker of the Western Conference semifinals, but were eliminated. Braun's performance was remarkable. After 14 games, Braun averaged 12.6 points + 6.4 rebounds + 2.4 assists + 1.2 steals + 1.5 three-pointers per game. Among them, in the first-round tiebreaker, Braun scored 21 points + 5 rebounds + 4 assists; in the Western Conference semifinals G1, Braun contributed 11 points + 13 rebounds + 3 assists, with a record number of rebounds in his playoff career; in the Western Conference semifinals G6, Braun scored 23 points + 11 rebounds + 5 assists + 3 steals, setting a career high in scoring and helping the team save the first match point.

From NCAA and NBA double champion to a high-quality scorer who scored 26 points + 28 points + 30 points, Braun's value has naturally skyrocketed. Braun has one year left on his contract, and his annual salary for the new season will be $4.92 million. According to NBA reporter Shams, Braun signed a five-year, $125 million contract with the Nuggets without any team or player options. Considering that Jokic and Murray have an annual salary of 50 million+, Gordon and Cameron Johnson have an annual salary of 20 million+, the Nuggets' ability to provide Braun with this early contract extension has summoned up all the courage to tell the world: We will retain the starting five at all costs and seize Jokic's peak period to hit the championship! Taking a step back, Braun does not occupy the ball, but he can provide 3D value next to Teacher Yue. The offensive end is full of speed and passion, and the defensive end can also lead the opponent's sharp figures. Such a top-notch 3D swingman can only be found but cannot be found. If you miss it, you will not have this shop. Perhaps this is why the Nuggets gave him a five-year, $125 million contract. Fans and friends, what do you think of this? Come and leave me a comment to discuss.