All the cost-saving moves the Nuggets have made in the past two years — this summer that meant letting starter Kentavious Caldwell-Pope walk — have been to have the money to keep their core players around Nikola Jokic. Earlier this summer that meant a four-year, $209 million max extension for Jamal Murray.
On Wednesday, that meant a contract extension that will keep Aaron Gordon with the Nuggets for four years, paying him $133 million, story broken by Shams Charania of The Football Club.
This locks in the Nuggets core of Jokic, Murray, Gordon and Michael Porter Jr. for the next three seasons, keeping the team in title contention if everyone stays healthy.
Gordon is set to make $22.8 million this season and, as part of this new deal, he will pick up that same $22.8 million for the 2025-26 season. From there, the new three-year, $103 million contract will kick in and run through the 2028-29 season, with the final season being a player option at $37.1 million. By opting out next season, Gordon ends up saving the Nuggets about $10 million over the course of the contract.
Gordon has been vital to the Nuggets’ contention — and a 2023 title — as the versatile big who can play alongside Nikola Jokic. Last season Gordon averaged 13.9 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists a game, but his 3-point shooting – which was 34.7% the Nuggets championship season – fell to 29.%. Denver needs him to find that form again if they want to get back to the Finals.
But they locked him up, and that’s what matters.
