New NBA Trade Rumors on Aaron Gordon Amid Cam Johnson Buzz After Nuggets' NBA Playoff Loss

The Denver Nuggets could consider trading Aaron Gordon after the team's first-round elimination by the Minnesota Timberwolves, Bennett Durando reported Saturday for the Denver Post.

According to Durando, Gordon "will no longer be considered off the table as a trade candidate when team brass meets to discuss next steps."

"Denver's first-round flame-out was disastrous enough that anyone other than [Nikola Jokić] could feasibly be shipped off," Durando wrote.

Another player expected to be retained by the Nuggets is Peyton Watson. The Nuggets see re-signing Watson as one of their "top priorities," according to Durando.

Watson is pending restricted free agent, and the Nuggets hold both his full Bird rights and the opportunity to match any potential offer sheets.

NBA insider Jake Fischer previously named the Los Angeles Lakers, Chicago Bulls and Brooklyn Nets as the teams most likely to make an offer to Watson.

Even if able to match a potential offer sheet, the Nuggets could still need to send out salary in order to retain Watson after he averaged career highs with 14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 54 games last season.

The Nuggets are projected to have just $2.6 million in space below what is largely considered the de facto salary cap of the second luxury tax apron, per Spotrac.

Denver could potentially earn some more wiggle room under the second apron by moving out a player like Gordon ($32 million cap hit next season), Cameron Johnson ($23 million cap it) or Christian Braun ($21.6 million cap hit).

Durando noted Saturday that "in league circles, Johnson has been considered the more likely candidate to be traded for months, but Gordon and Braun are in the same salary range as him."

The Nuggets could be even more ready to make changes after Thursday's Game 6 elimination loss to the Timberwolves. Jokić said after the loss he felt the current team was "far away" from a championship.

Gordon, who will turn 31 in September, is signed for two more seasons with a player option for 2028-29. He averaged 16.2 points last season but was limited to just 36 games due to multiple hamstring injuries.

Any team considering making a trade offer for Gordon this offseason would need to be willing to bet on his availability going forward despite his recent injury history.