The Denver Nuggets didn't know just how much the Aaron Gordon trade would alter the organization's trajectory. Two years after it happened, it paid off big-time, with the Nuggets winning their first-ever championship. Gordon's only gotten better since then.
A lot has changed since 2014 when the Magic selected Gordon with the No. 4 pick in the draft. You can argue that a player picked that high can't be underrated, but when you look at Gordon's skillset and his value to Denver, he's absolutely underrated.
Sam Vecenie and Andrew Claudio drafted the best 10 NBA players who haven't made an All-Star team on the "Game Theory Podcast." Gordon fits that category, and Vecenie said he's the most underrated player in the league.
Vecenie went on an AG rant that Nuggets fans will love, saying it's "ludicrous" that he's only received All-Defensive Team votes for two years, calling Gordon "unbelievable" on that side of the ball. He highlighted how AG's improvement as a shooter boosted his value and helped the Nuggets match up better offensively against opposing teams, especially in the playoffs.
Denver fans know more than anyone how much of a winning player Gordon is, but it's still nice to hear it from national media members.
Aaron Gordon is the most underrated player in the league
If you want to get technical, Jamal Murray is the most underrated star on the Nuggets. He was one of Denver's top driving forces behind its championship, but he's never been named an All-Star. That doesn't matter a whole lot in the grand scheme of things when you have a championship, though.
Gordon is the Nuggets' do-it-all small forward, power forward, and center. He used to fit the 'star' label when he was in Orlando, but that isn't the role he's played in Denver. Does that take away from his game? No.
He's the kind of player other front offices would jump at the opportunity to have. He can defend, shoot, cut, and pass at a high level. His dunks are a bonus.
There is no denying that Gordon has benefited from playing alongside Nikola Jokić (as most players do), but a large part of the reason for AG's success in Denver is his adaptability. He wouldn't still be around if his primary goal was to hang onto the back of Jokić's coattails.
As Vecenie pointed out, Gordon's counting numbers don't jump off the page, but don't let that fool you. He leaves his mark all over the court — the 2025 playoffs were further proof of that.
You hear all of the time not to take Jokić for granted, but don't take what Aaron Gordon does for granted, either. He's one-of-one.