Denver's Braun Dilemma and Hawks Trade | Atlanta Hawks News

Denver Nuggets are stuck under the salary cap’s second apron after signing Lonnie Walker and matching Spencer Jones’ offer, forcing them into a high-stakes decision. Christian Braun’s massive five-year, $125M extension—starting at $21M and climbing to $28M—is now their biggest headache, especially since breakout rookie Peyton Watson may deserve more than Braun. Trading Watson or sacrificing Braun for minimal return seems inevitable. Atlanta Hawks, with Jalen Johnson’s $30M contract, could be the only team willing to help: they might trade CJ McCollum’s one-year, $21M deal to Denver, letting Denver flip McCollum elsewhere. In return, Denver could shed Braun for almost nothing—and maybe keep Watson. The Hawks, building a top-tier defense, see Braun as a valuable perimeter defender whose elite isolation defense metrics could elevate their unit. It’s a risky move for Denver, but potentially worth it to preserve Watson’s future. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/e781ade43f001c7f