Aaron Gordon and the Nuggets reportedly shared optimism on a contract extension.
As has been the case since Denver traded for Gordon last season, optimism yielded positive results.
The Nuggets rolled with Gordon while they were healthy in the regular season, upset the Trail Blazers in the playoffs with Gordon despite Jamal Murray’s injury and now have reached a deal with Gordon on an extension.
Shams Charania of The Athletic:
Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon has agreed to a four-year, $92 million contract extension with the franchise, his agent Calvin Andrews of Klutch Sports told @TheAthletic @Stadium. Deal includes a player option for Gordon on the 2025-26 season.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 14, 2021
Gordon’s largest-possible extension:
Gordon’s current contract contained $1 million each year in incentives ($500,000 for All-Star, $250,000 for All-NBA, $250,000 for All-Defense), according to Spotrac. The extension must contain the same triggers – which Gordon has never met – but can call for escalating payouts.
The best guess: Gordon will still have a flat $1 million in bonuses for each season of the four-year extension. In addition to his highest-possible base salary ($88,215,273), that’d give Gordon the reported $92 million.
Either way, this is a bargain for the Nuggets. Gordon is good, only 25 and fits well. Denver just needs Murray to get healthy.
Gordon secures major money and can still hit unrestricted free agency in 2025 at age 29. This wasn’t his highest-upside play financially. He probably would have fared better in 2022 unrestricted free agency. But there’s value in security.
