The Denver Nuggets are moving closer to one of the most anticipated seasons in franchise history.
Let’s continue our three-week series in advance of Media Day on September 29th, just one week away! With 14 players on the roster and a new mix of players to discuss, it’s important to remember who the Nuggets have, who they don’t have, and what to expect heading into October.
Up next, a check-in on Aaron Gordon.
A topsy turvy season for Aaron Gordon last year emphasized just how important he is to the Nuggets when he’s at his best.
Multiple recurring soft tissue injuries limited Gordon to just 51 games, including nine stints on the bench. Those were the first nine bench appearances of Aaron Gordon’s Nuggets tenure and something that ended up being a larger story under the surface than people realize. In the midst of Gordon’s most efficient scoring season of his NBA career, former head coach Michael Malone continued to play Gordon with the second unit in an attempt to keep him healthier.
Gordon did everything he good to get fully healthy, but eventually, the Nuggets simply needed him to be the best version of himself that he could be. There were limitations to his mobility and athleticism on both ends of the floor, but that never took away from his impact. Gordon’s 43.6% three-point average and 81.0% free throw average were both the best of his career, and he brought that into the playoffs with some incredible performances.
It wasn’t an ideal circumstance, but Gordon made the important plays when they mattered anyway, hitting clutch shot after clutch shot when the Nuggets needed a big play. His Alley-Oop putback dunk at the buzzer of Game 4 was incredible, as was his Game 1 walk-off three-pointer against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the next round. Overall, Gordon produced career high point and rebound playoff averages while averaging over 37 minutes per game.
Then, Gordon suffered a Grade 2 hamstring strain at the end of Game 6 against the Thunder. He did his best in Game 7 and even grabbed 11 rebounds in 24 minutes, but the rest of the team were unable to pick up the Willis Reed style performance from one of the top glue guys in the entire NBA.
That leads into 2025-26. Gordon just turned 30 and will be playing his 12th season, one of the now elder statesman in the Nuggets rotation. Gordon’s spot as the starting power forward remains solidified, and the addition of Cam Johnson (more perimeter oriented than Michael Porter Jr.) should help Gordon in more ways than one.
The question of how real Gordon’s shooting splits were last year is a fair one. Many hyper athletic players evolve their games over time, and Gordon’s right in that range when impressive shooting seasons are possible. Think Blake Griffin, who shot 32.4% from three on 1.1 attempts per game through his Age 28 season before shooting 36.2% on 7.0 attempts in the 2018-19 season. After that year, Griffin shot just 30.0% from three for the rest of his career, so it will be important to know whether Aaron Gordon’s shooting was a one-year blip or something sustainable.
Because Father Time comes for every player eventually. Gordon’s play style is so physically exerting that it’s been good to see him take and make more jump shots. The hope is that it prolongs his peak years and allows him to remain impactful for as long as possible. There’s no guarantee when that drop-off happens, so the Nuggets committing heavily to this season with bench veterans and multiple trade upgrades is an important sign.
For Gordon, the defensive impact must return. He had just 37 stocks (steals plus blocks) in 51 games, which is just under 0.73 per contest. Those were career lows, as was Gordon’s -0.8 Defensive Estimated Plus-Minus last year, according to Dunks and Threes. As a team, the Nuggets ranked 20th in Adjusted Defensive Rating on the same site, and there’s simply a low chance for success if the Nuggets remain below average on that end of the floor.
Gordon’s unlikely to ever play close to 82 games in a regular season though, and that’s fine. It’s wise for Denver to manage his minutes and usage throughout the year, because even if the Nuggets underwhelm in the regular season, it will all come down to the playoffs for everyone involved. That includes Gordon, who brought his best in those moments last year until injuries ultimately won out. As long as Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Aaron Gordon are all healthy, the Nuggets always have a chance. Last year proved that sentiment in a major way.
The numbers never fully encapsulate what Gordon means to the Nuggets. He’s Mr. Nugget, the veteran connector of everything they do, Nikola Jokic’s biggest fan, and so much more to the city of Denver. Here’s hoping Gordon can string together multiple healthy seasons going forward, because he’s proven what he can do when the lights are brightest.
