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Nuggets are betting on Christian Braun to replace Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Can he?

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Nuggets are betting on Christian Braun to replace Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Can he?


It might’ve actually been fitting that the first hours of NBA free agency were unexpectedly quiet for the Nuggets. Too quiet.

There will be roster moves in Denver. That’s a certainty. Vlatko Cancar and DeAndre Jordan are each likely to return on one-year deals, league sources told The Denver Post, and that still leaves two roster spots unoccupied. The Nuggets will be able to use the $5.2 million taxpayer mid-level exception to fill one of those. They are staying active in the trade market as well, even kicking the tires on Russell Westbrook.

But yes, it’s fitting that no concrete roster additions occurred Sunday between the start of free agent negotiations (4 p.m. MT) and the print deadlines of the local newspaper. While the Nuggets’ front office was busy, no doubt, the rest of Denver was stuck with nothing to reflect on except a loss.

What does the departure of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to Orlando, reported first by USA TODAY’s Jeff Zillgitt, for three years and $66 million mean?

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First off, it’s not as simple as a downright indictment of ownership’s willingness to spend, nor does it set a precedent that Denver will never be a second-apron team under any circumstance during the life of this CBA. The Nuggets, according to The Athletic, showed serious interest in trading for Paul George before the draft, for example.

A league source confirmed to The Post that Denver was briefly in talks with the Clippers about George, though it’s questionable how far along those conversations got. An extend-and-trade would have required Michael Porter Jr., Zeke Nnaji and draft picks. What’s the point of that information? Interest in a player of George’s pedigree and salary, especially as an outsider rather than as the team drafting and developing that player, indicates a pretty clear openness to spending.

Choosing whether to wade into the second-apron morass is about more than whether an owner is too cheap to pay the luxury tax bill. It’s a question of whether certain moves, certain contracts, are worth sacrificing roster flexibility. If the Nuggets went into the second apron to keep Caldwell-Pope, they would not have been able to even entertain a trade like that one. So far, the Nuggets have given no reason to believe they won’t exceed the second apron if they view it to be worth the competitive risks. General manager Calvin Booth said as much after the season ended.

“I think for me personally, it’s win a championship, one. Two, we have to look at the overall financial picture. And three, second apron,” he said then when asked about Caldwell-Pope. “And I know the second apron is daunting, and there’s all kinds of restrictions, but I don’t think that’s first on our priority list.”

The overall financial picture includes more than just this free agency cycle. It includes a future when Denver could be trying to juggle increased salaries for Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon with extensions for Christian Braun and Peyton Watson. What if that duo is on the rise two offseasons from now, and Caldwell-Pope is starting to decline? Being on the hook for $22 million to a 33-year-old Caldwell-Pope could come back to bite. Only time can tell.

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Anyway, in a more immediate sense: The loss of Caldwell-Pope despite possessing his full Bird rights reads as a full-hearted bet on Braun, whose most recent impression was out-defending KCP against Minnesota in the playoffs.

They’re very different players. (Make no mistake: As of July 2024, Caldwell-Pope is a better one.) Defensively, Braun might not be quite as tenacious a screen navigator as KCP, but he’s much bigger for a two-guard. He’s a formidable point-of-attack and help defender already at age 23, and he can hold his own in the post against other physically overpowering guards and forwards, from LeBron James to Anthony Edwards to Luka Doncic. Considering that Braun is only two years into his NBA career, it’s reasonable to believe he’s on his way to being regarded as an elite wing defender in the same light as Caldwell-Pope.

The offensive fit is the biggest uncertainty. Braun plays at a fast, downhill pace with the ball — athletic and fearless at its best, rushed and messy at its worst — that doesn’t theoretically mesh with the methodical, cerebral identity of Denver’s starting lineup. However, Nikola Jokic has always rewarded good cutters, and Braun does have a good feel for when to pounce on open space or dive to the rim. If anyone can optimize his off-ball effectiveness, it’s this lineup.

Of course, shooting is an inevitable aspect of good off-ball offense as well. Only Braun can optimize that for himself. Nuggets coach Michael Malone has labeled Braun’s 3-point percentage as a defining factor in his potential as a starter.

Braun is more than fine above the break — 42.9% last season to Caldwell-Pope’s 39.6%. But KCP shot 11% better in the corners on way higher volume. That’s an area where Braun needs to keep developing his shot if the Nuggets want effective floor-spacing with him planted there. It could also benefit him to diversify his midrange game. He barely attempted any shots outside the paint but inside the arc last season, and he only made 32% of his shots in the midrange. Jokic is one of the best dribble handoff centers in the NBA, and he got efficient value out of Caldwell-Pope by turning DHOs into 15-foot pull-up jumpers.

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Only 10 players in the NBA attempted more shots out of DHOs and made them at a higher rate than Caldwell-Pope (43.2% on 88 attempts). He was even more effective than Porter within that play-type, according to the NBA’s data. As of now, swapping in Braun means subtracting that skillset.

But even if Braun doesn’t develop that, he makes up for the subtraction with the addition of his off-the-dribble upside. He’s not a great ball-handler, but he has the strength and gumption to drive into traffic and finish through contact, unlike Caldwell-Pope. If Braun can refine that and eliminate the inconsistency, it would add a new layer to a starting lineup that lacks burst off the dribble. Opponents will dare Braun to attack them when the ball finds him within the flow of Denver’s offense. He’ll be thrown into the fire quickly.

Ultimately, Braun has displayed the two-way athleticism and early signs of shooting prowess to prove to Denver’s front office that he’s worth a vote of confidence. He had a 15.4 net rating last season when he shared the floor with Jokic, and if Caldwell-Pope’s minutes are to translate even somewhat directly to Braun next season, it means the KU alum is about to be on the court with Jokic more than any other Nugget.

But until further notice, Sunday was the end of a miniature era: the day the Nuggets had to forfeit their claim to the title of Best Starting Five in the NBA.

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Kalshi Promo Code DENVER: Claim $10 Bonus for July 4th World Cup, MLB Trades – Denver Stiffs

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Kalshi Promo Code DENVER: Claim  Bonus for July 4th World Cup, MLB Trades – Denver Stiffs


Take advantage of a $10 sign-up bonus by signing up with Kalshi promo code DENVER and making $10 in trades on the World Cup, MLB or any other available market. Start the registration process by clicking here.


This introductory bonus applies across the full slate of July 4 knockout round matches, featuring Canada against Morocco and France taking on Paraguay, as well as any other World Cup match scheduled for the week. Not to mention, there are tons of options for baseball fans with a full slate of MLB action this weekend.

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Kalshi Promo Code DENVER: Trade $10, Get $10 Bonus

Eligible new Kalshi customers receive a clear path to a $10 sign-up bonus designed for the full slate of World Cup Round of 16 matchups. Whether users are analyzing Morocco taking on Canada or evaluating France against Paraguay, this introductory bonus provides additional capital to trade on any of the scheduled knockout stage matches.

To utilize this promotion, users must be at least 18 years of age and make a first-time deposit of at least $1. The $10 bonus successfully unlocks after the user executes $10 in total trades on the prediction markets. Kalshi operates in all 50 states, giving soccer fans a regulated, nationwide platform to trade on World Cup outcomes.

World Cup Matches: Win Probabilities

The Saturday World Cup matches look lopsided on paper. Morocco and France are massive favorites against Canada and Paraguay, respectively. However, knockout stage games can be unpredictable. All it takes is one moment of brilliance, or a terrible mistake, to completely flip a game on its head. Take a quick look at the current probabilities for Saturday’s games.

Matchup (Home vs. Away) Home Win % Draw % Away Win %
Canada vs. Morocco 17% 28% 57%
Paraguay vs. France 5% 13% 84%

It’s also worth noting that there are tons of options for MLB fans. Start making trades on games like Yankees-Twins, Mets-Braves, Dodgers-Padres and more. All it takes is a $10 trade to unlock the $10 bonus.

Getting Started With Kalshi Promo Code DENVER

Claiming the introductory offer requires a straightforward, sequential process. Follow the steps below to secure the sign-up bonus ahead of the opening whistle for Canada vs. Morocco and Paraguay vs. France:

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  1. Create an Account: Register by providing standard personal information. Users must also upload proof of identification to verify their identity and comply with platform regulations.
  2. Enter the Promo Code: During the registration workflow, input the Kalshi promo code DENVER to officially opt into the welcome offer.
  3. Make a Deposit: Fund the newly created account with a first-time deposit of at least $1.
  4. Trade on Predictions: Execute $10 worth of trades on Kalshi’s prediction markets. There is no requirement to place a single trade worth $10; the total cumulative volume of all trades simply needs to reach the $10 threshold to qualify.

Once these steps conclude and total trade volume hits $10, the $10 sign-up bonus unlocks and appears in the account balance. Once activated, this bonus provides the flexibility to trade on any of the upcoming World Cup matches scheduled throughout the week.



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Out-of-order elevator at Denver Housing Authority property leaves disabled tenants looking for answers

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Out-of-order elevator at Denver Housing Authority property leaves disabled tenants looking for answers


Carlos Soto has an added 100 feet and two flights of stairs on every trip to his front door. He says he has to carry his walker every step.

“My whole routine has changed,” Soto said. “I try to not go down as much. If I need groceries or something, I try to hold off and not do it.”

Soto claims the elevator — just steps from his second-floor apartment — has been out of order for over three weeks.

▶️ WATCH: Soto shares the impacts of the out-of-order elevator with Denver7’s Alex Dowd

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Out-of-order elevator at DHA property leaves disabled tenants looking for answers

Despite the difficulty, he walks the path three or four times every day.

“I have to take out my dog, so she can go potty and stuff,” he said. “I need to go to the store, get groceries, and I gotta go to work in the morning, and in the afternoon, I gotta come back up.”

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Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, landlords must make reasonable accommodations for tenants with disabilities. Colorado’s Safe Housing for Residential Tenants law says owners and landlords have to repair uninhabitable issues within two weeks.

Sen. Tony Exum Sr. — one of the prime sponsors of the bill in 2024 — said a place is “considered uninhabitable when there’s conditions that are unhealthy or unsafe.”

That includes when a disabled tenant is unable to easily or safely access their apartment. However, the landlord must be aware of the issue first. Then, “the onus is on the landlord to make reasonable accommodations to to fix the problem,” Exum said.

KMGH

Carlos Soto climbs down the stairs, carrying his walker. He says he feels like he could fall at any moment.

Are reasonable accommodations being made at Sol Apartments where Soto lives?

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Denver7 reached out to Denver Housing Authority — which announced the Sun Valley apartment’s grand opening alongside its partners a little over a year ago — but they said they couldn’t accommodate the request for an interview or statement due to the Fourth of July holiday. They did offer to respond the following week.

DHA employees told Soto in an email that they were “working to resolve the elevator issues.”

The issue, Exum said, is common in apartments.

“There can be an extension [for landlords],” he said “For instance, if they’ve contacted a third party to do the repairs.”

Soto says the housing authority told him they had contacted a third party for repairs, but that they offered no repair timeline or alternative options.

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“Maybe make [the building] more accommodating,” Soto said. “Plan A didn’t work, so let’s try Plan B now, and get me up here somehow.”

Under the Safe Housing for Residential Tenants law, landlords are able to move tenants to hotels or nearby properties until the issue is resolved.

Soto says until the elevator is working again, he’s forced to use the stairs or use the elevator and the sky bridge next door, adding even more time to his already long commute.

Denver7 | Your Voice: Get in touch with Alex Dowd

Denver7’s Alex Dowd covers stories that have an impact in all of Colorado’s communities. If you’d like to get in touch with her, fill out the form below to send her an email.

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Denver7 is committed to making a difference in our community by standing up for what’s right, listening, lending a helping hand and following through on promises. See that work in action, in the videos above.





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Nations Cup in Colorado another showcase for Denver’s bid to host the 2031 Rugby World Cup

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Nations Cup in Colorado another showcase for Denver’s bid to host the 2031 Rugby World Cup


Think of Saturday’s rugby match at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park as a very physical audition.

The Nations Cup showdown between the USA Men’s Eagles and Portugal on the Fourth of July is another chance for Denver — long an epicenter for American growth in the sport — to showcase itself as a host city for the 2031 World Cup.

“We had that great moment at Dick’s last year where we qualified for the World Cup (by beating Samoa in the Pacific Nations Cup),” said national team captain Jason Damm. “Any opportunity to get out here, sort of in the middle of the country, feels like a connection point for the nation. It’s a good way to kick off this Nations Cup.”

Damm’s professional rugby roots are in Colorado. The Georgia native played for a team in Vail and for the Glendale Raptors, a now-defunct Major League Rugby franchise. Damm thinks Denver would be a “great fit” for hosting the 2031 Men’s and 2033 Women’s Rugby World Cups, the first time the tournaments will be held in the U.S.

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“We have a lot of guys now, and I’ve had the pleasure of playing with a lot of guys who went through that American Raptors program that was here for such a long time and really wanted to look after the development of some transition players (from other sports),” Damm said. “There’s just so much great rugby out here and good competitions.”

In addition to the legacy of the Glendale/American Raptors as well as burgeoning club and youth scenes, Denver is home to “Rugbytown USA,” the city of Glendale, which boasts the first rugby-specific stadium in the U.S. at Infinity Park. That’s where Colorado’s pro women’s team, the Denver Onyx, plays. The Onyx are the reigning champions of Women’s Elite Rugby.

And the college scene is solid, too, including strong performances by local women’s squads at this spring’s sevens Collegiate Rugby Championship, where CSU and CU placed in the Division I-AA tournament, Colorado Mesa was the Division II national champion and Mines was the Division III national champion.

Scrumhalf Ethan McVeigh tosses the ball behind his back during practice for the United States men’s national rugby union team at Infinity Park in Glendale on Friday, July 3, 2026. (Photo by Harmon Dobson/The Denver Post)

All of that background makes Saturday another important milestone for rugby in Colorado. The Eagles have two locals in their player pool in prop Kaleb Geiger (Castle View High School) and lock Sam Golla (Denver East High School), but both players are coming off surgery and are not on the Nations Cup roster.

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Golla, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 MLR Draft and the league’s 2023 rookie of the year, sees Saturday as another chance for Colorado to prove its support of the sport amid World Rugby’s ongoing selection process for the 2031 World Cup.



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