The Los Angeles Lakers may not have the shot they hoped they would at signing Peyton Watson. The Denver Nuggets would reportedly prefer to re-sign their coveted restricted free agent, and with the ability to match any offer sheet he receives, they'll ultimately decide how his summer plays out.
Thankfully, the Nuggets are reportedly willing to go to extreme measures in order to keep Watson in Denver, including trading a player the Lakers would be wise to target: Christian Braun.
Braun, 25, signed a five-year, $125 million contract extension that will begin in 2026-27. Watson, meanwhile, is likely to command a salary in a similar range. With Denver already near the second apron, however, many around the Association reportedly believe they'd rather clear financial space than incur the wrath of the NBA's most feared financial penalties.
According to Tim Bontemps of ESPN, the prevailing thought within the NBA is that the Nuggets will look to trade either Christian Braun or Cameron Johnson in order to avoid such a fate.
"The Nuggets have never been big spenders, which is why the belief around the league is that Cameron Johnson (on an expiring $23 million deal) or Christian Braun (on a five-year, $125 million extension signed in the fall) is likely to be moved to create enough room to give Watson something in the per-year range of those players."
If that ultimately comes to pass, then the Lakers would be wise to at least kick the tires on a trade for Braun that could prove multifaceted in its impact.
How the Lakers could help the Nuggets
Trading for Braun will prove easier to dream of than realize, but the Lakers have the luxury of significant cap space. As such, they can take his contract on and provide more financial relief than a vast majority of teams if the outgoing package appeals to Denver.
Whether it's the final two seasons on Jarred Vanderbilt's deal or the rookie-scale contract belonging to Dalton Knecht, the Lakers have opening silos that can at least provide financial help.
Vanderbilt will make $12,428,571 in 2026-27 and has a player option worth $13,285,714 for the 2027-28 campaign. Compared to Braun at $21,551,726 in 2026-27 and $23,275,863 in 2027-28, those are affordable figures.
The question is: Would the Lakers be willing to attach a first-round pick to a potential trade for Braun? If so, they'd be landing a tremendous on-paper fit.
How Christian Braun would help the Lakers
The Lakers would be taking on a five-year, $125 million contract in this scenario, which makes it imperative to define Braun's fit. It must also be noted that he's a fairly low-volume three-point shooter, although he has made at least 38.4 percent of his attempts in two of the past three seasons.
The reason the Lakers should be willing to take this chance, however, is the simple fact that Braun is the two-way wing they need at a price they'd likely need to pay more than in free agency.
Braun has the size and strength to defend multiple positions at 6'6" and 220 pounds. He puts those strengths to use, spending no less than 20.33 percent of his possessions guarding either point guards, shooting guards, or small forwards. That's the exact type of versatility Los Angeles needs.
Despite battling injuries and ranking sixth in the NBA in matchup difficulty as a defender, Braun finished the 2025-26 season at No. 3 in perimeter isolation defense, per Basketball Index.
In addition to thriving on the ball, Braun ranked in the 98th percentile in ball screen navigation and the 92nd percentile in off-ball chaser defense. He ranked in the 86th and 88th percentiles in 2024-25, as well as the 97th percentile in perimeter isolation defense.
In other words: Braun is the elite wing defender the Lakers have desperately needed—and he's already signed to a long-term deal.
The reward outweighs the risk for Lakers in Christian Braun deal
The obvious pushback against a trade for Braun is the fact that he played just 44 regular season games in 2025-26. Given the long-term commitment the Lakers would be making, that's an unavoidably difficult sell.
Braun appeared in at least 76 games in each of the three seasons prior to 2025-26, however, and the injury that kept him sidelined was a nagging ankle sprain—not necessarily a long-term concern.
With his injury history established as limited, Braun's fit with the Lakers is far more positive than concerning. He has vast postseason experience, elite defensive proficiency, and the athleticism to help improve Los Angeles' pace and transition offense.
The trade to land him may be difficult to negotiate or navigate, but the Lakers have leverage and a need that Braun would help them resolve.
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