New NBA Trade Rumors on Aaron Gordon as Backup Target to Giannis, Jaylen Brown Failed Pursuits

Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon was a possible fallback plan for the Miami Heat if they failed to acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo, according to HoopsHype's Michael Scotto.

In terms of where Gordon may go instead, Scotto reported he's positioned similarly in the eyes of the Portland Trail Blazers. They could reach out to the Nuggets if they can't work out a deal to get Jaylen Brown from the Boston Celtiics.

The Celtics, meanwhile, "have also kept tabs on Gordon from afar."

The 30-year-old isn't destined to get traded this summer, but the Nuggets are likely to do something in an effort to improve their roster. The clock is ticking with franchise cornerstone Nikola Jokić, who's eligible for free agency next offseason.

The Stein Line's Marc Stein reported on June 14 that Gordon "is the Denver veteran drawing the strongest external trade interest." The Nuggets prefer to move Christian Braun, but that depends on how aggressively other teams pursue the fourth-year guard.

The same reasons Denver would like to keep Gordon around are why rival organizations have him on their radar.

The 6'8" forward is a dependable floor-spacer and rebounder who can guard multiple positions. In addition, he showed during the Nuggets' 2023 championship run that he can be an effective role player when it matters the most.

Gordon is also signed for two seasons and has a $37.1 million player option for 2028-29. With the NBA's draft lottery reforms in place, general managers are likely to place a bigger premium on veterans with multiple years of team control.

Gordon would be difficult for the Nuggets to replace, but trading him might be the only way for them to achieve their needed reshuffle.