Interpreting Calvin Booth’s remarks during the season-ending Nuggets press conference last week, it seemed he was setting the stage for the potential departure of starter Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who could become a free agent this summer.
Booth highlighted the restrictive impact of the NBA luxury tax and the “second apron,” which Denver would surpass if they re-signed Caldwell-Pope without offloading other salaries.
Additionally, Booth praised reserve guard Christian Braun as a potential starter for the Nuggets. Since Braun is a shooting guard, it’s clear he would replace Caldwell-Pope if he starts next season, although Braun has yet to prove himself in the postseason.
To clarify, Booth was directly asked if Braun could start and provided a reasonable response, as reported by the Denver Post:
“He obviously has the intangibles and the physical strength and athleticism and defense (to be a starter). And he’s gonna have to make some improvements, as he has, shooting the ball. But I don’t know how you could see a player in his second year that’s done what he’s done and not think he has a chance of starting. He’s ahead of schedule in that regard.”
Christian Braun’s performance in the playoffs is a cause for concern
The issue isn’t whether Braun could eventually become a starter. The concern is that starting him in the 2024-25 season as Caldwell-Pope’s replacement would significantly weaken the Nuggets’ renowned starting lineup.
Esteemed Denver Post columnist Sean Keeler noted that Braun was anticipated to fill Bruce Brown’s role off the bench last season but fell short of expectations. Therefore, expecting Braun to replace Caldwell-Pope as a starter seems impractical.
“Here’s what I’m not doing: Anointing Christian Braun as my new fifth starter come the fall, my new No. 1 wing guard, and assuming that everything will be just fine. It won’t. Not without some serious — and potentially expensive — veteran back-filling on the bench should you elect to promote Braun from it,” Keeler wrote.
The only feasible scenario for Braun to start would be if the Nuggets invested in a reliable shooter for the bench. Ideally, Braun would develop into that role himself. He did shoot 38.4% from three-point range last year, though he only attempted 2.0 threes per game.
However, his playoff performance was problematic. During the Nuggets’ championship run, he shot a mere 20.0% from three-point range, and this year he only slightly improved to 22.2% from beyond the arc.
The Nuggets’ salary cap situation might hinder their ability to re-sign Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
However, there’s the concerning issue of exceeding the second apron and the likelihood of a team offering Kentavious Caldwell-Pope $20 million annually in free agency.
The most prominent contender could be the Sixers, with the financial flexibility to sign a max-contract player along with a key supporting player. Caldwell-Pope’s credentials as a 3-and-D wing, with two championships and a 40.6% three-point shooting rate over the past four seasons, make him one of the top role players in the league.
One league executive estimated Caldwell-Pope could secure a three-year, $60 million deal in the open market.
“The Sixers are going after a big name, like a Paul George or a Jimmy Butler if he comes available,” one Eastern Conference GM said. “But they’re going to put almost just as much attention on adding a role player, too. They’ve run through a lot of guys playing with Joel (Embiid) but they know they need a two-way guy, a guy who can create some space by shooting the 3.
“There are a few guys on the market who will be interesting as shooters—Klay Thompson, Gary Trent, Bruce Brown—but you are not going to get a better two-way guy than KCP. That’s the guy you want with Jo and Tyrese Maxey. So, if I’m the Nuggets, the Sixers are the serious danger here.”
