Nuggets Eyeing Gordon Trade
Nuggets Reportedly Weigh Aaron Gordon Trade Amid Roster and Financial Reset
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Key Points
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Marc Stein noted Gordon’s age and contract context: “Aaron Gordon, who turns 31 in September” is the Nuggets player drawing the strongest external trade interest, and the extension “begins in 2026-27.”
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The reporting adds specific financial/contract runway details beyond the headline extension figure: Gordon is “scheduled to earn $31.9 million next season” and is “owed approximately $71.5 million through the 2028-29 campaign, which includes a player option.”
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Denver’s injury impact was described in more detail: Gordon has appeared in only “87 games over the past two seasons,” and the 2025-26 season was limited by “hamstring and calf injuries” that “significantly impacted Denver’s season.”
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One report quantified Gordon’s on-court value and playoff absence: Denver “outscored opponents by 12.7 points per 100 possessions with him on the floor,” and “when he sat, the team’s net rating dropped to 2.8.” It also notes he “missed three games against the Wolves in the first round.”
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Stein’s reporting also frames the Nuggets’ preferred path as avoiding bigger-salary dominoes: “league sources say that the Nuggets preferred course… is finding a trade market for Christian Braun rather than entertaining deals that involve Gordon or Jamal Murray.”
Aaron Gordon is the hottest trade name in Denver this offseason. Marc Stein reports that the Nuggets forward is drawing the strongest external trade interest of any player on the roster, with rival teams circling after Denver's first-round playoff exit to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Gordon turns 31 in September and is set to earn $31.9 million next season. He is owed roughly $71.5 million through 2028-29, including a player option. Despite the interest, Denver's front office is not eager to move him — and may not unless the return is star-level, according to Yahoo Sports.
Injuries Turned Gordon Into a Trade Chip
Gordon was a key piece of Denver's 2023 title run. But durability has become a real concern. He has appeared in only 87 games over the past two seasons, per Marc Stein. This past season, hamstring and calf injuries held him to just 36 regular-season games. He also missed three games against Minnesota in the first round.
The numbers show how much Denver needs him healthy. When Gordon played in 2025-26, the Nuggets outscored opponents by 12.7 points per 100 possessions. When he sat, that number dropped to 2.8, according to Nugget Love. That gap makes him both a trade asset and a player the team is reluctant to lose.
Nuggets Would Rather Move Braun First
Denver's preferred path is not trading Gordon. Marc Stein reports that the Nuggets would rather find a market for Christian Braun than explore deals involving Gordon or Jamal Murray. Moving Braun would give Denver some financial breathing room while keeping the championship core intact.
But moving Braun has its own complications. The Nuggets also want to re-sign restricted free agent Peyton Watson, which adds salary pressure. If Denver cannot move Braun, Gordon's name could move from a trade rumor to a real negotiation faster than the front office would like, per Nugget Love.
The Luxury-Tax Wall Is Forcing Denver's Hand
The real driver here is money. The NBA's collective bargaining agreement includes a "Second Apron" — a hard spending ceiling that freezes draft picks and blocks teams from combining salaries in trades. Denver is bumping against it. Gordon's $31.9 million salary next season makes him a logical piece to move to get under that line, according to Sporting News.
General Manager Calvin Booth must weigh a "win-now" window against those financial penalties. Trading Gordon could free up the tools — like the mid-level exception — to rebuild the bench around Nikola Jokic. But doing it for the wrong return could gut the team's defensive identity, sources told Nugget Love.
San Antonio Spurs Emerge as a Logical Trade Partner
Among the teams with reported interest, the San Antonio Spurs stand out. Sporting News and Heavy both identify San Antonio as a logical fit. The Spurs need a versatile power forward who can shoot, defend, and play next to Victor Wembanyama. Gordon fits that profile almost perfectly.
Gordon's $103.6 million extension officially begins in 2026-27. That contract length may actually help a trade get done — San Antonio gets a proven champion locked up for three years. For Denver, the question remains the same: what star-level player comes back in return? Without that, Sporting News suggests a deal is unlikely to happen.
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