Two NBA stars signed big contracts at the NBA contract extension deadline ahead of the NBA’s 2025-26 season.
The Denver Nuggets are ready to start the 2025-26 NBA season, and the organization has rewarded key players.
It was none other than Christian Braun, the 21st overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. The 2023 NBA champion signed a five-year, $125 million contract, and fans had a lot to say about it.
There’s no doubt that Brown has proven he can earn a contract extension, which should infuriate Atlanta Hawks star Dyson Daniels.
The Hawks only offered Daniels a four-year, $100 million contract, even though Daniels reportedly wanted a $150 million extension.
In theory, Daniels and Brown will make $25 million a year in their new contracts, but the Hawks’ star players may feel they are missing out on more guaranteed money. This shows that the Nuggets trust Brown more than the Hawks trust Daniels.
This is surprising since Daniels finished second in the 2025 NBA Defensive Player of the Year race and also earned an NBA All-Defensive selection.
Additionally, Daniels won the NBA Player of the Year award.
Daniels and Brown, who are part of the same draft class, improved their games at the same time, namely last season.
| Statistics for 2024-25 | Dyson Daniels | christian brown |
| point | 14.1 PPG | 15.4 PPG |
| rebound | 5.9 RPG | 5.2 RPG |
| assist | 4.4 APG | 2.6 APG |
Brown is a slightly better scorer, but Daniels makes up for the difference with his playmaking.
On top of that, Daniels is a much better defender than Brown, leading the league in steals per game (3.0 SPG) last season.
All things considered, the Hawks may have risked upsetting Daniels and lowering his salary in the long run.