The Denver Nuggets had a less-than-stellar title defense during the 2023-24 NBA playoffs.
Part of their struggle resulted from significant free agency losses that were hard to replace. They watched key sixth-man Bruce Brown leave for the Indiana Pacers on a hefty two-year, $45 million deal, while seventh-man Jeff Green signed with the Houston Rockets for $16 million over two years.
This gap in having consistent players was evident during their playoff exit to the larger, more formidable Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round.
Fast forward to this summer, and the Nuggets faced more changes as starting shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope departed for the Orlando Magic, securing a three-year, $66 million contract. To fill the void, Denver brought in veteran point guard Russell Westbrook and backup big man Dario Saric, while re-signing underwhelming players Vlatko Cancar and DeAndre Jordan.
Denver’s headline move of the offseason was re-signing injury-prone starting point guard Jamal Murray to a whopping five-year, $208 million extension.
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Read more: Nuggets Sign Star Jamal Murray to Massive Extension Before Season
This keeps Murray, three-time MVP Nikola Jokic, and starting small forward Michael Porter Jr. under contract through the 2026-27 season. While Christian Braun, expected to step in for Caldwell-Pope, will be a restricted free agent in 2026, allowing Denver to match offers and keep their roster intact for the foreseeable future.
The only remaining question mark is power forward Aaron Gordon, who has a $22.8 million player option for the 2025-26 season and is eligible for a four-year extension starting Friday.
Nuggets president Calvin Booth expressed optimism at a recent press conference about reaching a deal with Gordon soon, stating, “We want Aaron here for a long time.”
Gordon echoed that sentiment, sharing his affection for the organization and hope for a successful negotiation, saying, “It seems like it’s moving forward in the right direction.”
Last season, Gordon contributed an average of 13.9 points on impressive shooting percentages of 55.6% from the field and 65.8% from the free-throw line, along with 6.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and solid defense across 73 games.