March 25, 2021, will go down in history for the Denver Nuggets. It was the day that the organization traded for Aaron Gordon, sending Gary Harris, R.J. Hampton, and a 2025 protected first-round pick to the Magic. A little over two years later, Gordon helped Denver win its first-ever championship.
The 30-year-old is now in his 12th season in the league, and as hard as it may be to believe, he's only getting better. You'd think that the trade wouldn't look better than it did in June 2023 when the Nuggets won it all, but thanks to AG, it has.
Last season, he shot a career-high 43.6% from three on an average of 3.4 attempts per game. His previous career high was when he shot 37.5% from deep on 4.5 attempts in the 25 games he played for the Magic in the 2020-21 season. Out of nowhere, Gordon turned into a three-point threat for Denver. He hit a game-winning three against the Thunder in the playoffs, in addition to his game-winning dunk against the Clippers in the first round.
To think that some people thought his shooting last year was an outlier, something he wouldn't be able to keep up this season. In the first game of the season, Gordon shot 10-of-11 from three for a career-best 50 points. He shot better from three than Steph Curry on Steph Curry's home floor.
As wild as it is to say, Gordon could be in the All-Star conversation. He's never made an All-Star team. What better time is there to receive that honor than when you're 30?
Aaron Gordon continues to get better for the Nuggets
Gordon has come back down to Earth since his 50-point game. He hasn't shot as well since then (did anyone really think he'd follow 50 points with another 50?), but in true AG fashion, he continues to impact the game in other ways for the Nuggets.
He finished with nine points (2-of-5), nine rebounds, and three assists in 23 minutes for Denver's 122-88 rout over New Orleans on Wednesday. Zion Williamson entered the game averaging 27 points and 9.5 rebounds for the Pelicans (in two games), but he finished with only 11 points and zero rebounds against the Nuggets. Who defended him? Gordon.
You can't put a price on what he's meant to Denver, but the Nuggets did sign him to a four-year, $133 million extension last October. Gordon responded by having the best shooting season of his career.
He's only getting better, too.