3 best Aaron Gordon trade destinations if Nuggets get offer they can’t refuse

Drastic changes could be coming the Denver Nuggets’ way this offseason. The team had a solid regular season, as they won 54 games, but things fell apart in the postseason. The Nuggets lost in six games to a Minnesota Timberwolves team that was ravaged by injuries. In their clinching loss, all of Anthony Edwards, Donte DiVincenzo, and Ayo Dosunmu were sidelined, and the Nuggets lacked far too much on defense and when it came to putting in effort. The offense fell off the wheels, too. The team struggled to put the ball in the basket against Minnesota’s stifling defense.

Reports suggest David Adelman is safe. The head coach has only had one full season at the helm for the Nuggets, and the franchise still has high hopes for his leadership of the team. Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, as the team’s two All-Stars, won’t be going anywhere, either.

Cam Johnson, Christian Braun, and Aaron Gordon could potentially be on the move, though. ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel has reported that Gordon is the least likely to be dealt of that trio, but Jokic made it clear with his post-game comments that changes are inevitable after such a disappointing postseason performance.

It would take an offer the team couldn’t refuse to pry Gordon away, likely including multiple draft picks and a starting-caliber player. If the Nuggets ended up pursuing a trade, though, where would be the best fits for the power forward?

3. Aaron Gordon could be a Portland Trail Blazers trade target

The Portland Trail Blazers exceeded a lot of expectations this season. Their young core started to reach their potential, and Deni Avdija established himself as a superstar. The team even gave the San Antonio Spurs some trouble in the first round of the postseason. Portland still has a ways to go before they will truly contend, though.

The team is already slated to get better, and their offseason full of moves hasn’t even begun yet. That is because Damian Lillard, who missed all of this season with a torn achilles, will return to the fold next season. Lillard’s best years came in Portland, and the hope is that he will return to form in the city he calls home.

The Trail Blazers also have some big plans that have already come to light. Portland is reportedly all in on pursuing Giannis Antetokounmpo. The two-time MVP has been halfway out the door in Milwaukee for quite some time now, and this seems like the offseason that the Bucks will finally trade him. If Antetokounmpo doesn’t find his way to Portland, Anthony Davis is another star big man with a knack for playing elite defense who has been reported as an option for the Trail Blazers.

It is clear that the team covets a power forward who can play a tough-nosed, physical brand of basketball, particularly on the defensive side of the floor. Gordon fits that description, too, and he could be a consolation prize if the Trail Blazers don’t land a superstar. While Gordon isn’t an All-Star-level player, he does the things that Portland needs. He can guard inside or outside, and he sets the tone with his physicality. The Nuggets prioritized adding more depth last offseason, and even then, they were still left thin in the postseason because of injuries to Gordon and Peyton Watson. With Watson headed for a potential departure in restricted free agency, perhaps the team will again seek out more depth, and the Trail Blazers have tons of players who could intrigue them.

2. Could the Charlotte Hornets trade for Aaron Gordon?

Last year, the Charlotte Hornets changed their philosophies around roster building. In the 2025 NBA Draft, for example, the team took win-now players in Kon Knueppel, Ryan Kalkbrenner, Sion James, and Liam McNeeley. Knueppel, in particular, had one of the best rookie seasons in recent memory.

The Hornets will likely continue adding players who play a winning brand of basketball. Gordon does all of the little things and intangibles, and he even has a championship ring in his collection. Gordon certainly could help the Hornets take the next step forward.

The only concern would be his health. The Hornets have regularly been bitten by the injury bug in recent years, and Gordon has only played in 87 games over the last two seasons. If Gordon’s lower-body issues prove to be a non-issue, he’d be a perfect fit in Charlotte. Not only does he provide a needed skill set to the Hornets, but he is one of the best dunkers in recent memory, so he’d benefit from catching lobs from a great playmaker like LaMelo Ball.

1. Aaron Gordon would fit with the Boston Celtics

The Nuggets’ first-round playoff loss was disappointing, but they weren’t alone in that regard. The Boston Celtics lost as a two-seed, so they became just the eighth team to lose to a seven-seed in the first round ever. Now, Denver and Boston’s situations were different, as the Celtics exceeded a lot of expectations in a year in which they were without Jayson Tatum for the majority of the season. This was really viewed as a gap year, as Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday were traded before the season began.

Still, losing to such an underdog team was far from ideal. The Celtics could still use a player to replace Holiday’s defensive expertise and leadership abilities. While Gordon is a forward, not a guard, he is a similarly reliable glue player who makes his teams better because of his grit and attitude.

Boston clearly missed having a hard-working dog who can play the enforcer role when need be, and that makes Gordon an ideal trade target. Plus, the Arizona product has developed to become a knockdown 3-point shooter in recent years. The Celtics are regularly among the league leaders in 3-point attempts, so Gordon would fit right in and allow the team to continue to play the brand of basketball that Joe Mazzulla likes.

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