3 Nuggets at risk of being traded this offseason
By Ben Handler
Aaron Gordon
I know what you’re thinking; this is inconceivable. But a year or two ago people would’ve thought it was inconceivable for the Bucks to trade Jrue Holiday. When teams have a generational player, they get desperate to maximize their prime and extend their championship window.
That’s why the Bucks made the impossible decision to deal Holiday so they could pair another superstar in Damian Lillard with their generational talent, Giannis Antetoukounmpo.
Don’t get me wrong, Gordon has been an incredible fit on the Nuggets and I would hate to lose him. But that may be the cost of doing business if the Nuggets want to make an “all-in” move this offseason.
The team isn’t getting any younger, and the front office may decide they need to take a big swing to extend the championship window and maximize the prime of Nikola Jokic. If the Nuggets flame out in the playoffs, it may be due to teams leaving Gordon open and daring him to make threes.
While he’s certainly capable, he’s shooting a paltry 19% from distance so far this season. If the struggles continue in the postseason, things could get amplified with it even becoming a fatal flaw. The Nuggets offense is so incredible that teams have to pick their poison; making Gordon a jump shooter - while not an easy task - may be the easiest medicine for opposing teams to swallow.
Gordon, much like Holiday, is an excellent two-way player who contributes to winning. But they aren’t superstars. If the Nuggets want to make a major upgrade they are going to have to give up one of their core players, and with Gordon and Murray both coming up for big paydays after next season this may be the ultimate price the Nuggets must pay.
