After a major flameout in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs, the Denver Nuggets are entering the offseason with more questions than anticipated
The team knows its core–as they employ a star duo of Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray–who both won a title for the organization a few years back.
But it might be time for a change in the role-player department, and the early indications are that nothing is off the table.
Aaron Gordon Is A Name To Watch
GettyOKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA – MAY 05: Aaron Gordon #32 of the Denver Nuggets reacts during the first half of Round Two Game One of the 2025 NBA Playoffs against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom Center on May 05, 2025 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
According to the Denver Post, the Nuggets want to be the ones to strike a long-term extension with their homegrown guard, Peyton Watson.
That would mean making a cut somewhere else on the roster. While Aaron Gordon’s contributions to the title-winning year might’ve left the Nuggets hesitant to make him a trade candidate in the past, sentimental values shouldn’t cloud reality. And they probably won’t.
“Denver’s first-round flame-out was disastrous enough that anyone other than Jokic could feasibly be shipped off,” Bennett Durando of the Denver Post reported.
GettyHOUSTON, TEXAS – NOVEMBER 21: Aaron Gordon #32 of the Denver Nuggets exits the game due to injury in the first quarter of the game against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center on November 21, 2025 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images)
When it comes to Gordon, the conversation goes a bit deeper:
“Uncomfortable discussions loom about Denver’s core around Jokic, including whether the 30-year-old Gordon can stay healthy for eight consecutive weeks of playoff basketball at this stage of his career. The Nuggets know from experience how many roster flaws he covers up. But those flaws bubble to the surface every time he’s hurt. At the very least, he will no longer be considered off the table as a trade candidate when team brass meets to discuss next steps, league sources have told The Post.”
Gordon, 30, struggled to be a major factor in the Nuggets’ first-round series against the Timberwolves. After playing in just 36 games during the 2025-2026 NBA season, Gordon appeared in three out of six playoff games.
As Gordon dealt with calf tightness, he simply wasn’t moving well enough for the Nuggets to feel comfortable enough to roll him out. While Gordon is productive when healthy, his availability throughout the year has been a major concern.
Gordon’s salary doesn’t come cheap. In 2026-2027, he’s making over $31.00 million. That number goes as high as $37.09 million for his 2028 player option. Finding a suitor to commit to a possible three seasons ($103.60 million) for a 31-year-old forward with injury struggles will prove to be difficult for Denver.
Still, that doesn’t mean they won’t be open to discussions this summer.