Ryan Blackburn here, the host of the daily Locked On Nuggets podcast, with your daily Locked On Nuggets newsletter. Each day we bring you the biggest stories about the Nuggets and the NBA, including the hottest links to other stories you need to read. Plus, Josh Lloyd delivers daily fantasy notes to crush your league.
Aaron Gordon signs contract extension
Apr 20, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon (50) reacts to defeating the Los Angeles Lakers in game one of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Ball Arena.|Andrew Wevers-Imagn Images
The Denver Nuggets and Aaron Gordon agreed to a four-year contract extension on Monday worth roughly $133 million. The contract involves Gordon opting into his $22.8 million player option in 2025-26, then tacking on three more years at $110 million after that.
The deal includes a player option in 2028-29 and a 15% trade kicker, according to multiple reports, but it’s also seen as a very team friendly deal for the Nuggets. Gordon’s max contract extension number was four years, $150 million. This saves Denver some flexibility in 2025-26 and allows the team an opportunity to keep their core together for longer.
On the latest episode of Locked On Nuggets, Matt Moore and I discussed the Gordon contract extension at length and some important factors to consider. Among those factors were:
1. Aaron Gordon took a small pay cut to stay with the Nuggets 2. The negotiated deal gives Denver flexibility below the Second Tax Apron in 2025-26 3. There’s added pressure on Michael Porter Jr.
First, the pay cut. As mentioned above, Gordon could have signed a max contract with the Nuggets for $150 million over four years. That would have involved Gordon declining his player option and signing the deal at a higher number in the first season.
Gordon and his agency, Klutch Sports with Rich Paul and Calvin Andrews, decided not to do that. Instead, the Nuggets starting power forward gave back $17 million in potential salary for a player option in 2028-29 and a 15% trade kicker. Both elements make it less likely Gordon will be traded and more likely he stays a Nugget with Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray for a long time.
Second, the added flexibility of Gordon giving back some money in 2025-26 allows the Nuggets to possibly stay under the Second Tax Apron in 2025-26 while still keeping their core group together. According to Bobby Marks of ESPN, the Nuggets remain at $7.1 million below the Second Apron in 2025-26. The Nuggets will also get significant tax payment savings on such a deal.
Finally, Michael Porter Jr. is now “up next” among the core of Denver’s roster for a contract extension. He has three more years left on his current deal and is being paid a high salary number.
If the Nuggets end up performing below expectations this season and hope to make a change, all eyes will naturally fall on Porter and his contract. Jokic isn’t going anywhere. Murray and Gordon just signed extensions through 2028-29 this off-season. It’s an unfortunate reality that may befall the Nuggets in time.
For now though, Gordon’s contract extension is a reason to celebrate. The Nuggets championship core remains intact for now, and expectations remain high while the best player in the world plays for the Nuggets.
Oct 17, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) runs down the court after scoring against the Atlanta Hawks during the first quarter at Paycom Center.|Alonzo Adams/Imagn Images
As a Canadian, I only really think of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s nationality when I see that he’s spending time here in the summers – I mean this as a positive. The Olympics were a patriotic anomaly (that unfortunately flamed out), but the fact of where he’s from is not relevant to his player and star profile, because Gilgeous-Alexander has made himself universal.
This is a rarity for all NBA athletes, think of the handful of transcendent and globally embraced stars: Steph Curry, LeBron James, Kevin Durant. It’s even rarer, ironically, for international players, who seem to have to shake the gravity of where they’re from to be embraced as bonafide stars (I was going to make a comment about American imperialism, but this is only our second newsletter).
Steve Nash is the last Canadian athlete who comes to mind, for his recognition but also his unique skillset, individual style and how, reacting to match and adjust to him, the game necessarily shifted. That’s another trait of the universal star: they bring lasting changes to the way basketball is played.
I think of the way Gilgeous-Alexander works the floor, like his personal metronome is three beats ahead. He’ll drive to the basket only to pirouette out from under the rim, fake a wide side-step to lose his defenders, then slide back for an underhanded feathery lob up and in. He knows which way everyone is going and for a few rare seconds, watching him, you too feel like you’ve been granted the gift of basketball foresight. He’s crafty, quick, and the bane of rival team scouting staff for his off-balancing ball handling and smooth-but-juddery footwork. Like a magnet, defenders get drawn to him, defensive schemes go out the window, he upends calculable order.
Katie Heindl is a credentialed NBA and WNBA writer, her bylines have appeared with The New York Times Magazine, SLAM, The Athletic, Yahoo Sports, Dime, Rolling Stone, among others. She writes the bestselling Substack, Basketball Feelings and is working on a book of the same name.
Home and Away
Biz
Denver City Council voted to approve redevelopment plans around Ball Arena. 55 acres of land will be transformed into high-rise housing, parks, and open spaces. (KDVR)
Ranked
No. 7. That’s where The Washington Post put Denver on its “league entertainment” rankings. It praised three-time MVP Nikola Jokic’s passing as a “divine pleasure” to watch. Can’t disagree there.
Contract
Kevin Pelton of ESPN+ looks at some of the biggest rookie-extension deadline deals from yesterday (plus Aaron Gordon), analyzing the salary structure and impact for each team’s future cap flexibility.
Preview
Ready, set, chaos. Shaun Powell of NBA.com gives us 10 clues for what he says is a truly unpredictable season. Some intriguing storylines for the coming season include an array of comebacks (Lonzo Ball and Ja Morant, among others), the unheralded rookie class, burgeoning NBA rivalries, and much more.
Analysis
Leonard Solms writes for ESPN about Godwin Owinje, an NBA scout working to broaden the Africa-NBA pipeline, and how the continent will play a major role in the league’s next era.
Fantasy Cheat Sheet
Fantasy Basketball Week One: Navigating Waiver Wire and Schedule Strategies
Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr. (13) reacts in the third quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum.
|Photo by Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
As we dive into the first week of fantasy basketball, it’s crucial to approach the waiver wire with a strategic mindset. The initial week often sees a flurry of activity, with managers eager to make moves based on early performances. However, it’s important to remember that the best waiver wire pickups often emerge from the worst drops. This week, there might be a player or two who unexpectedly rises to prominence, but it’s essential not to hastily drop proven performers after a single poor game.
Strategic Streaming and Schedule Insights
Streaming can be a valuable strategy, but in week one, it’s less critical. I’m comfortable taking a loss early on if it means avoiding rash decisions. Many managers will panic over injuries or subpar performances, leading to valuable players being dropped. This is where patience pays off. If a player like Isaiah Hartenstein is dropped due to a minor injury or a bad game, consider adding them to your roster.
Understanding Quality Games
Understanding the concept of quality games is vital. These are games played on days with fewer than ten matchups, allowing you to maximize your roster’s output. This week, Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday are quality game days. Teams like Boston, Minnesota, and Oklahoma City play on two of these days, making their players valuable streaming options.
Conversely, teams like Charlotte, Chicago, and Cleveland don’t have any quality games, meaning their fringe players might not see much action. It’s essential to evaluate your roster and determine if adding a player from a team with more quality games could benefit you.
As we gear up for the season, remember that fantasy basketball is a marathon, not a sprint. Making informed decisions and staying patient will set you up for success. For more insights and a deeper dive into fantasy basketball strategies, tune into the Locked On Fantasy Basketball podcast for this and much more.
Don’t let these episodes pass you by — stay locked in with the latest Locked On Nuggets podcasts.
Nuggets UPSET Thunder As Russell Westbrook Dominates And The Kids Run Wild Matt Moore breaks down how the pace Denver played with changed the game, how Jokic’s aggression kept OKC off balance, and how Denver got a huge win over their division rival.
Locked On Nuggets POSTCAST: Jokic, Westbrook and the kids lead Nuggets to upset vs. Thunder Aniello Piro breaks down the incredible Nuggets-Thunder game on tonight’s Locked On Nuggets POSTCAST.
Can Nuggets stand together without AG? Matt and Ryan go over the big picture of Aaron Gordon’s injury, discuss the next few weeks of Nuggets basketball, and preview tonight’s game against OKC.
