Center Nikola Jokić of the Denver Nuggets had not yet raised his first MVP award. The Nuggets had not yet had their inaugural parade in the team’s existence. However, even before Denver acquired him before to the 2021 trade deadline, Aaron Gordon had an inkling of what lay ahead of him.
“I expected this team to win championships,” Gordon stated.
The Nuggets overcame two 3-1 playoff series deficits against the Utah Jazz and LA Clippers to advance to the 2020 Western Conference Finals. Jokić has demonstrated his potential to become a top-tier center. Jamal Murray has demonstrated his potential to develop into a superb point guard.
With Aaron Gordon’s explosive play, Denver picks up a new level.
But the Nuggets needed more depth and defense to finish off their championship puzzle after falling to the Lakers in five games in the Western Conference Finals. After acquiring Gordon from Orlando prior to the 2021 trade deadline and signing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope during the 2022 summer, the Nuggets have almost finished assembling that jigsaw, almost two years later. During his nine years as coach, Michael Malone of the Nuggets regarded those actions as his most important non-draft picks.
Malone declared, “Those make a difference.” “That made a big difference and put us in a position to win a championship once we were healthy.”
It’s possible for the Nuggets to become the 26th team out of 76 to win consecutive NBA titles, one year after they won their first championship as a team.
For the second straight year, Denver swept the Lakers in the postseason. With home court advantage and experience, the No. 2 Nuggets take on the third-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves in their second-round playoff series on Saturday. Furthermore, in terms of chemistry and output, Jokić and Murray continue to be the NBA’s most reliable combination.
The Nuggets, however, have further reasons to believe that they will be among the few teams to successfully defend an NBA championship, along with the Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, and Miami Heat. the principal one? This is a testament to Gordon, whose adaptable defense, ability to rebound, and sporadic scoring have continuously improved the Nuggets.
“It’s crucial that he acknowledges his role,” Jokić remarked. “He is aware of what to do.” We wouldn’t be the same team without him.
Think about all the different ways Gordon has improved the Nuggets.
Gordon was third on the team in rebounds (6.0) and fourth in scoring (13.3 points per game) during Denver’s championship run the previous season. In Denver’s opening-round game against the Lakers, he almost exactly equaled those stats in terms of points (13.8) and rebounds (9.8).
During the regular season, Gordon had success against some formidable opponents, like as Golden State’s Stephen Curry (5-for-14), Orlando’s Paulo Banchero (3-for-9) and the Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard (3-for-9). In the playoffs, Gordon also played excellent defense against D’Angelo Russell (0-for-6) and Anthony Davis (5-for-12) of the Lakers. Despite LeBron James’s strong performance (20-for-32) against him, Gordon had him commit six turnovers. Gordon had postseason career highs in points (29) and rebounds (15) in Denver’s victory over the Lakers in Game 3.
Aaron Gordon is one of those people who never complains. Nothing ever exists. Malone stated, “He just goes out there and does his job.” He is an excellent example of being completely unselfish in every way. Extremely grateful that we were able to bring him here by making that deal all those years ago.
Gordon, the No. 4 choice in the 2014 NBA Draft, was the Orlando Magic’s go-to player right away. Despite five missed postseason appearances and two first-round playoff exits, it rarely resulted in victory (2014–21). Nevertheless, Gordon’s physicality, athleticism, and team-focused play won the Nuggets over. In order to get Gordon, Denver had to part up a first-round pick (2025), a promising youngster (R.J. Hampton), and a dependable two-way player (Gary Harris).
Malone stated, “You have to give something up when you make a trade of that magnitude.” Gary Harris had a significant influence on my formative years in Denver. I miss and adore Gary. But finding a player capable of guarding several positions, like Aaron Gordon, in the modern NBA, who is now both a backup center and a starting power forward? Really, all he’s doing for us at the moment is everything.
Gordon arrived in Denver and had an instant impression. Gordon scored 14 points, pulled down six boards, recorded three steals, blocked two shots, and helped Denver overcome the fully healthy Clippers in just his third game with the Nuggets. After seeing that game, Malone thought the Nuggets had a real chance to win the NBA.
All of that was altered when Murray suffered an ACL tear in the final month of the 2020–21 campaign. Gordon averaged nine points on just 41% shooting during the Phoenix Suns’ second-round rout of the Nuggets. He also racked up nearly as many rebounds (3.8) as fouls (2.5) and turnovers (2.3). A year later, in the Nuggets’ first-round playoff series against Golden State, Gordon showed growth, averaging 13.8 points at a 42.6% shooting percentage and 7.2 rebounds per game. Despite Murray’s and Michael Porter Jr.’s back problems, the Nuggets still dropped five games.
“You remove those injuries from the competition. Gordon remarked, “I thought we would have already won a championship.” Playing with these guys is a lot of fun. These guys have incredible talent. Simply put, they are so great at the sport that it eases the pressure.
Gordon noted that Jokić and Murray were playing “a crazy-two man game,” so let’s start there. Gordon praised Jokić for playing “the right way” and called him a “basketball genius” because of his preference for team play over individual effort. Gordon called Murray “a cold killer” for his ability to make crucial passes and shots.
Gordon, who has perfected punishing opponents with his off-ball cuts, timely rebounds, and accurate passes while they are preoccupied with monitoring Jokić, Murray, and Porter, is another reason for the Nuggets’ efficacy. Since Gordon frequently finds himself in the right place at the right moment, it is only natural that his teammates frequently search for him.
Porter remarked, “He’s an easy target to find.” You may toss the ball anywhere, and chances are good he’ll go fetch it, toss it up hard, and slam it. Consequently, he is constantly searching for me, even when things are changing. He is aware of the kind of pictures I can make. I am also aware of his comfort zones.
Gordon referred to himself as “a utility guy” because of his proficiency with those subtleties. He and his teammates have mostly thrived through the Nuggets’ read-and-react system as opposed to specific playcalls. That has empowered the Nuggets’ players, including Gordon, to make best use of their basketball IQ.
Yet, the Nuggets view Gordon in larger terms. They have argued he should have played in this year’s All-Star game. They also credit him for how he has become and may remain the team’s missing championship ingredient to complement Jokić, Murray and Porter.
“He’s definitely undervalued,” Murray said of Gordon. “Everybody has a piece. Everybody does what they do. And he’s just another part of that. He’s a prime example of somebody who can come to a different team and just be a team guy.”
