After some questions about whether a deal would get done before the regular season, the Denver Nuggets and Aaron Gordon have agreed to a new four-year contract extension.
According to Shams Charania of ESPN, Gordon and the Nuggets have agreed to what is a fairly team friendly, $133 million contract extension. Gordon will opt into his player option in 2025-26, then be paid a maximum amount based on 140% of his 2025-26 salary after that.
Aaron Gordon’s new deal comes via opting in on his $23 million salary for 2025-26, then three additional years at his maximum salary plus bonuses. Total of $133M. A key member of Denver’s 2023 championship team is now locked in long term. https://t.co/M7x2coMJJm
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 22, 2024
Gordon, 29, has been a member of the Nuggets championship core ever since being acquired from the Orlando Magic via trade in march of 2021. Gordon signed an extension with the Nuggets the following offseason and has become a mainstay for the team. His consistency, work ethic, and two-way prowess are self-evident, averaging 14.5 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game in his Nuggets tenure. If those numbers don’t leap off the page, it’s because Gordon has accepted being a role player in Denver and done so at a high level. The numbers don’t tell the full story of what Gordon means to the Nuggets on and off the court.
Gordon is entering the 11th season of his NBA career. Having played 6.5 seasons with the Magic and 3.5 seasons with the Nuggets, the starting power forward is toward the tail end of his prime. He’s still extremely productive and impactful on both ends of the floor though, and his willingness to mold his game around Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Michael Porter Jr. helped the Nuggets win their first ever championship.
Now, Gordon will be with the Nuggets for the foreseeable future without the pressure of a contract extension hanging over his head.
This is great business for the Nuggets. The financial ramifications of Gordon opting into his player option in 2025-26 is fairly significant. With the luxury tax second apron being such an ever-present factor for team building, Gordon opting into a $22 million player option allows the Nuggets core to stay affordable for this year and next year. General Manager Calvin Booth and the Nuggets front office are clearly hoping to preserve as much future flexibility as possible, and this move helps them do that.
Nuggets fans can now breathe a sigh of relief as a Fan Favorite in Gordon will be retained for the next few seasons.