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The Denver Nuggets drafted Christian Braun late in the first round of the 2022 NBA Draft. The versatile forward was a key contributor with the Kansas Jayhawks during their National Championship run. Braun brings a certain tenacity and competitiveness to the court. That energy was definitely helpful during the Nuggets’ NBA Championship run. However, we haven’t fully seen what Braun is capable of.
PSA: DO NOT JUMP WITH CHRISTIAN BRAUN pic.twitter.com/QRnvZMxTG0
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) December 15, 2023
Braun has had a few games showcasing glimpses of greatness. However, Nuggets head coach Michael Malone still believes he needs to step up in certain areas.
“He’s a better player than he has shown,” Malone told reporters. “That’s not just on Christian Braun, that’s on me as a head coach, finding ways to get him going. And as I told him today when I met with him, I said ‘I’m not looking at your stats, your three-point percentage. I’m looking at you. You’re an intangible guy. Your energy, your aggression, your physicality, your discipline, all have to be off the charts for us every single night.'”
Christian Braun’s minutes have fluctuated throughout the 2023-24 season. Like his minutes, his sophomore campaign has fluctuated as well. Braun’s best game of the season came against the New Orleans Pelicans. He scored a career-high 25 points, as well as nine rebounds and three assists. Even though he came off the bench that night, he still played a whopping 30 minutes in the game.
Currently from the bench, Braun is averaging just 7.0 points while shooting 44.9 percent from the field. The Nuggets’ bench is also a work in progress, and to some is considered one of the weak points of the defending champions.
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Five potential landing spots for Christian Wilkins after stunning Raiders release
The Las Vegas Raiders just stunned the league by releasing defensive tackle Christian Wilkins after only one year with the team. After signing a four-year, $110 million contract, he struggled with injuries in 2024. This was supposed to be a big bounce-back year for Wilkins, but after a dispute between the two sides in regard to how to handle his foot injury, the team decided it was best to part ways. Now, a premier interior disruptor is suddenly available. Assuming his medicals get checked out soon, there should be a lot of interest around the league. Where should he land? Dallas Cowboys Dallas has needed a dominant interior presence for quite some time. Osa Odighizuwa is an awesome threat, but he is only solid against the run. Alongside him, the team will be banking heavily on 2023 first-rounder Mazi Smith, who has been disappointing so far. With Dallas looking to return to the playoffs, adding a stud like Wilkins could give Dallas one of the best defensive lines in the NFL. San Francisco 49ers The 49ers added some young bodies in CJ West and Alfred Collins, yet neither offer a proven, all-around talent like Wilkins could if healthy. The 49ers defensive line was horrid outside of Nick Bosa in 2024, but by adding Wilkins, the team would now have a solid cast of starters with Nick Bosa, Mykel Williams, Wilkins and Kevin Givens/Jordan Elliott. Miami Dolphins A return to Miami makes a ton of sense for both sides. The Dolphins know exactly how to use Wilkins, he knows the building and players, and the transition would be very easy. Miami needs help in the interior defensive line; by plugging Wilkins back into his old role, he could offer the quickest path to high-level impact. Detroit Lions With Levi Onwuzurike out with injury and Detroit needing more juice on the defensive line, adding a proven disruptor like Wilkins could make some sense. He could provide more depth while he gets fully healthy, and he can join a legit Super Bowl contender. His energy and mentality could be a good fit for a Dan Campbell-led squad. Jacksonville Jaguars The Jaguars defense is average in the interior, but they have excellent edge-rushers who would benefit greatly from a strong disruptor up the middle. Wilkins could balance the front, help in the run defense and allow more one-on-ones for their premier edge-rushers. For a team that wants to return to the playoffs as soon as possible, adding a veteran like Wilkins could be a worthy bet to make.
Wrestling legend Hulk Hogan leaves behind a complicated legacy
On Thursday, wrestling icon Terry "Hulk Hogan" Bollea died at the age of 71. "WWE is saddened to learn WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan has passed away," the company said in a statement. "One of pop culture’s most recognizable figures, Hogan helped WWE achieve global recognition in the 1980s... WWE extends its condolences to Hogan’s family, friends, and fans." Hogan was the first true superstar to emerge in the wrestling industry, capturing a casual audience worldwide and bringing new eyes to the sport. He was an unbelievable draw, both as a baby face and as a heel. From his time as an All-American hero to leading the New World Order and teaming with Randy Savage as part of the "Mega Powers," he has been a staple of the scene for decades. Who can forget his WrestleMania III moment, where he defied the laws of physics to body-slam a 520-pound Andre the Giant? Or, more recently, his match with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson at WrestleMania 18? His last appearance on WWE RAW on Jan. 6 saw him booed throughout, highlighting the rocky legacy Hogan leaves behind. Hogan's universal popularity has plummeted in recent years, primarily due to a racism scandal that led to his removal from the Wrestling Hall of Fame, only to be reinstated in 2018. Nevertheless, the damage had been done. Hogan's outdated and unwelcome outlook on specific aspects of life derailed the final stanza of a legendary career. Still, there's no denying that without Hogan, the wrestling we know and love today wouldn't exist. There wouldn't be WWE on the world's largest streaming platform, or All Elite Wrestling, which is developing into one of the most successful challenger brands. Instead, there would be smaller, more localized promotions, all competing for a sliver of television time. Hogan popularized the sport by bridging the gap between the wrestling ring and Hollywood. During his time in the spotlight, Hogan appeared in movies such as "Rocky III," "No Holds Barred" and "Suburban Commando," all of which helped bring his larger-than-life persona to a new audience. It's no surprise, then, that The Rock, John Cena and Dave Bautista have all made similar jumps in recent years. Hogan leaves behind an everlasting imprint on the wrestling world. Unfortunately, it comes with multiple asterisks; however, that doesn't change what he achieved as the first global wrestling star.
Major 2024 NFL free-agency deals are aging very poorly
Several of the high-profile names of the 2024 free-agent class are really struggling to justify the massive contacts they received through the early stages of the 2025 season. Despite the generous contracts, some players have been very underwhelming after getting the big payday. In particular, these players who signed major deals are now playing on new teams or in new roles: Christian Wilkins — four-years, $110M with Raiders, now a free agent Kirk Cousins — four-years, $180M with Falcons, now a backup Bryce Huff — three-years, $51.1M with Eagles, now with 49ers Jonah Jackson — three-years, $51M with Rams, now with Bears Gabe Davis — three-years, $39M with Jaguars, now a free agent Gardner Minshew — two-years, $25M with Raiders, now with Chiefs Chidobe Awuzie — three-years, $36M with Titans, now with Ravens While certain free agents such as Saquon Barkley and Danielle Hunter have delivered massive returns on their contracts to the Eagles and Texans, respectively, these other big signings have taken a completely different trajectory. Whether it is due to injuries, underperformance or not fitting the schemes, these players have not lived up to their deals. Wilkins is a case in point. The Raiders decided to cut him after signing him to a four-year, $110M deal. He struggled with injuries that held him out in 2024, leading to the team and Wilkins disagreeing on how the injury has been handled. Because of this, the two split ways only one year into his contract. Huff only played in 12 games and had a total of 2.5 sacks for Philadelphia after inking a three-year, $51.1M deal. He was traded to the 49ers in June for a 2026 mid-round pick. Cousins might be the most egregious of these deals. The former Vikings QB signed a four-year, $180M, with $100M fully guaranteed. Yet, he only started 14 games in 2024, and now is the backup to Michael Penix Jr. The Falcons now are essentially stuck paying their backup quarterback an annual average of $45M. These signings highlight the risk of free agency. Paying top dollar for past performance runs the risk of overlooking team fit and future value of contracts. Too often, these high-profile veterans who get massive paydays decline very fast or simply fail to mesh with new systems. So far, these investments in 2024 appear to have aged very poorly. Unless these players turn their performances around in 2025, many of the teams will view these moves as a cautionary tale of overspending in free agency.
Commanders sign special teams standout to extension
The Washington Commanders are primed for a big season after surprising the league last year thanks to the brilliant play of Jayden Daniels. But the front office has done a great job of building the entire roster, not just the offense. On Thursday, the organization managed to extend one of its key contributors on special teams. Reports indicate that the Commanders are signing safety Percy Butler to a one-year contract extension, according to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network. Butler, who is 25 years old, excels as a gunner in Washington’s punt unit. “The Commanders have agreed to terms on a one-year extension with safety Percy Butler, per source. Locking up a special teams standout.” It’s an underrated position, as typically individuals think about offense and defense in terms of making an impact. But Butler has proven to be a reliable option for the Commanders’ special teams units, as he does a fantastic job at sprinting downfield after the kick to make the tackle. However, Percy Butler has stepped in as a safety as well throughout his three years in the NFL so far. Last season, Butler stepped in as the starting safety for five games, but made an appearance in all 17 contests. He ended the 2024-25 campaign with 47 combined tackles (29 solo), two tackles for a loss, and one pass deflection. Butler was a fourth-round pick by the Commanders in the 2022 NFL Draft. He’s done nothing but prove to be a consistent option in special teams, and looks like he’ll continue playing that role for quite some time. He, along with his teammates, will play their first game of the regular season on September 7 against the New York Giants. That should be a fun matchup for a Commanders team aiming for a big year. Although many don’t have high expectations for the Giants, it is a divisional contest. Typically, those games can go in any direction regardless of the record. Especially in a Week 1 game, where the NFL can be quite unpredictable. Either way, it should be a fun game.
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