4 Realistic Aaron Gordon Trade Destinations As His Nuggets Future Faces Uncertainty
· Yahoo Sports
So, as the 2026-27 NBA season carries on, the Denver Nuggets haven’t looked like themselves through the opening weeks, and when a perennial contender starts looking ordinary, trade rumors naturally begin circling Nikola Jokic and the rest of the locker room.
Much like the ongoing chatter around Cameron Johnson, the Nuggets appear willing to explore real changes ahead of the 2027 trade deadline, with Aaron Gordon now entering the picture as a trade candidate.
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According to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, Denver is open to hearing pitches for both Johnson and Gordon, even if the front office isn’t actively trying to push them out. Still, with the Nuggets ninth in the Western Conference, you have to question whether sticking with this exact core is the smartest play. Right now, this group looks a long way off from the offensive juggernaut that we used to know.
Gordon was vital to their 2023 championship run, of course, but his early production this season has been underwhelming. At 31 years old, he is averaging just 11.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.1 assists on 38.0% shooting from the field and 25.6% from beyond the arc.
Once you factor in his hefty salary ($33.7 million this season, $36.4 million guaranteed in 2027-28, and a $39.0 million player option for 2028-29), it makes complete sense why Denver would at least test his market.
Parting ways with Gordon would surely be a risk, because he remains a switchable, physical defender who understands how to play off Jokic better than anyone. Yet Denver is connecting on only 11.5 threes per game (27th in the NBA) and really lacks perimeter shooting and backcourt defense.
If another front office puts young talent and draft picks on the table, the Nuggets should at least listen. Here are four realistic landing spots for Gordon, featuring two franchises already connected to him and two others that align with what Denver needs.
1. Portland Trail Blazers
Denver Nuggets Receive: Scoot Henderson, Robert Williams III, 2028 first-round pick (via Magic, lottery-protected)
Portland Trail Blazers Receive: Aaron Gordon
Portland stands out as one of the cleanest basketball fits for Gordon, and there is already a bit of background between these two teams. Back in June, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported that the Trail Blazers eyed Gordon as an alternative target if they struck out on Jaylen Brown, meaning the front office explored the idea before.
Given how well Portland has opened the year, revisiting that option wouldn’t be surprising at all. The Blazers are cruising at 8-3 (fifth in the West), averaging 119.5 points per game (second in the league), and have already taken down the Thunder twice. Even so, bringing in a battle-tested forward would give this young roster a steady presence for a grueling Western Conference playoff run.
Gordon would fit seamlessly alongside Donovan Clingan and Deni Avdija. With Damian Lillard, Jrue Holiday, and a currently injured Ja Morant dominating the ball and taking plenty of shots, Portland doesn’t need another high-usage guard. What they need is another piece who can guard top wings, set bruising screens, and finish lobs at the rim.
For Denver, the main draw is taking a buy-low flier on Scoot Henderson. The former No. 3 overall pick has struggled to find traction in Portland, averaging 8.4 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.5 assists on 31.5% shooting while stuck behind the top dogs in the backcourt. At just 22 years old, though, he still has upside worth betting on, and learning behind Jamal Murray could give him a much clearer path to minutes.
Robert Williams (7.6 points and 6.6 rebounds on 67.4% shooting) would also address Denver’s need for a true rim-protecting backup center behind Jokic, assuming his body holds up.
With Henderson ($13.6 million) and Williams ($14.0 million) lining up nicely against Gordon’s $33.7 million salary, adding Orlando’s lottery-protected 2028 first-round pick makes the value fair. The only drawback is that neither incoming player solves Denver’s perimeter spacing, leaving the Nuggets with another follow-up move to make.
2. Boston Celtics
Denver Nuggets Receive: Mitchell Robinson, Sam Hauser, Hugo Gonzalez, 2027 first-round pick (top-20 protected)
Boston Celtics Receive: Aaron Gordon
Sitting comfortably atop the Eastern Conference at 10-2, the Celtics hardly feel like a team itching to shake up the roster, but Gordon would be a nightmare addition for the rest of the league. Just like Portland, Boston was also named by Michael Scotto over the summer as a team keeping tabs on the forward.
With Jayson Tatum pouring in 26.3 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 7.5 assists next to Paul George (22.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.8 assists), the Celtics have no need for Gordon to come in for his offense. Instead, he could thrive in the exact role he mastered in Denver by cutting along the baseline, crashing the offensive glass, taking on tough defensive assignments, and even sliding to center in small-ball playoff lineups.
If Denver surrenders one of its defensive pillars, however, the return has to fix their glaring weaknesses right away. That starts with Sam Hauser, who is putting up 8.1 points while drilling 43.5% of his threes, giving Jokic the exact kind of off-ball movement shooter he loves finding.
Mitchell Robinson (5.6 points and 5.4 rebounds in under 18 minutes a night) would immediately shore up Denver’s interior defense and rebounding whenever Jokic rests, provided he stays healthy.
Rounding out the package with 20-year-old wing Hugo Gonzalez (4.0 points and 2.0 rebounds) and a top-20 protected 2027 first-round pick brings youth, future flexibility, and modest salary savings ($28.8 million combined against Gordon’s $33.7 million).
On paper, this checks nearly every box for Denver, though convincing Boston to part with that much depth while rolling at a 10-2 clip won’t be easy.
3. Los Angeles Lakers
Denver Nuggets Receive: Quentin Grimes, Jake LaRavia, Jarred Vanderbilt, 2031 second-round pick (via Wizards)
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Aaron Gordon
Would this thriving Lakers squad really ship out three rotation players while sitting first in the Western Conference at 11-2? Probably not anytime soon, but if the Lakers are thinking ahead to surviving a brutal playoff run, Gordon makes a lot of sense.
Led by Luka Doncic (38.6 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 7.6 assists) and Austin Reaves (24.7 points and 4.7 assists), the Lakers boast the NBA’s No. 1 offense at a 122.7 rating. Their defense, however, lags behind at 17th (114.7 rating).
Pairing Gordon with shot-blocking center Walker Kessler (14.5 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks) would instantly give Los Angeles a physical, intimidating frontcourt, while Doncic would feed Gordon easy dunks all night. His 25.6% three-point shooting this year is a concern, though he knocked down 38.9% a season ago, so teams can’t completely float him in the corner.
For the Nuggets, this return brings back three useful, younger pieces to deepen the rotation. Quentin Grimes is 26 and brings reliable point-of-attack defense alongside 8.0 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists, with plenty of room for his cold 24.2% three-point mark to bounce back.
Jake LaRavia has been lights-out from deep at 52.2% on low volume while offering smart passing and rebounding (5.6 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.2 assists), and Jarred Vanderbilt supplies relentless defensive energy even without much scoring punch.
The money lines up, with Grimes ($14.0 million), Vanderbilt ($12.4 million), and LaRavia ($6.0 million) totaling roughly $32.4 million, and tossing in Washington’s 2031 second-round pick adds a small draft asset. It is a steep depth price for the Lakers to pay, yet Denver walks away younger, deeper, and far more versatile on defense.
4. San Antonio Spurs
Denver Nuggets Receive: Keldon Johnson, Tobias Harris, 2029 first-round pick (top-20 protected)
San Antonio Spurs Receive: Aaron Gordon
Teaming up with Victor Wembanyama might be the single best basketball fit on the board for Gordon at this stage of his career. San Antonio is already back at the top of the standings (second in the West) on the back of a Finals run last year, and adding a championship-tested forward would make them even tougher to deal with in a seven-game series.
With Wembanyama dominating at 30.2 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 4.4 blocks per game alongside Dylan Harper (18.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.8 assists), De’Aaron Fox, and Stephon Castle, the Spurs have more than enough offensive perimeter creation.
Gordon could handle physical forwards so Wembanyama can roam freely as a weak-side rim protector (for a defense already ranking fifth at 108.8), while finishing cuts and lobs in a setup very similar to his years with Jokic, and with Tobias Harris still sidelined from preseason, Gordon would be the perfect starting four next to Wemby.
In return, Denver could target Keldon Johnson, a 27-year-old forward whose role has shrunk in San Antonio’s deep rotation. He is averaging 8.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 2.3 assists on a rough 14.3% from three so far, though he scored 13.2 points per game last season and thrives when attacking the rim off a high-level passer like Jokic.
Harris ($15.0 million) balances the numbers alongside Johnson ($17.5 million), even though his left calf injury that kept him out all year adds real risk. Still, if Harris gets healthy (he averaged 13.3 points on 36.8% three-point shooting last season) and the Spurs include a top-20 protected 2029 first-round pick, Denver lands two capable forwards and a future asset.
San Antonio has little incentive to disrupt its dominant season, although if Denver decides to make a move before February, this framework gives both franchises plenty to think about.