Nikola Jokić might've cried when the Denver Nuggets traded Gary Harris in the deal for Aaron Gordon in 2021, but little did he (and everyone else) know what the move would mean for the organization. To think that one of their conference rivals helped it happen.
As Bennett Durando of The Denver Post wrote, Orlando came close to sending the forward to Houston (subscription required):
"The Magic had a deal in place with Houston leading up to the trade deadline, a league source told The Post, but the Rockets didn’t get a sense that Gordon would sign a contract extension with them. That caused the deal to fizzle out — another crossroads that could have altered the course of multiple franchises, like Denver’s pursuit of Holiday."
Magic and Rockets reportedly had Aaron Gordon trade in place
Not only does Denver need to thank Houston, but also AG himself, since he wasn't giving the Rockets the assurance they wanted. Boston also deserves a thank-you for coming in as runner-up rather than outbidding the Nuggets.
It didn't take that long for it to become evident that Denver got Gordon for a steal of a price, with all due respect to Nuggets legend Gary Harris. Losing him, R.J. Hampton (whose time in the NBA didn't pan out), and a protected 2025 first-round pick for a player who would help you win your first-ever title? That's a deal they'd do a million times over.
In retrospect, the Rockets would try to do the same, too. Every team needs an Aaron Gordon, but he fits best in Denver.
Aaron Gordon will be key if Nuggets win another title this year
Gordon has missed two separate chunks of time this season due to a hamstring injury, so he's played only 33 games, most recently returning at the beginning of March. This season will go down as the fewest games he has played since the trade, as his previous low with the Nuggets was 51, in 2024-25.
Denver hopes he can stay on the floor for a deep playoff run. The team came up short in the second round the previous two years, a result that might've been different had Gordon not hurt his hamstring in Game 6 last season against the Thunder.
The only worry with AG is another soft-tissue injury, and unfortunately, it's a pretty big one. Gordon is the Nuggets' X-Factor (don't think about what the already lagging defense would look like without him), and if they lose him again, it would truly be a cursed season.
But hey, this isn't the time for doom and gloom. No one should question whether Denver can win another championship (bet against Jokić and Jamal in the playoffs at your own risk). If the Nuggets do go all the way, they should probably send the Rockets an Edible Arrangement at the very least.