Aaron Gordon has been on the floor for all nine of Denver’s first nine games this season, the first time he’s done that since the 2023-24 regular season. But the early returns haven’t exactly been reassuring for the Nuggets, who are sitting at 5-4 and 10th in the Western Conference.
What looked like a chance for Denver to bounce back after its disappointing finish in the 2025-26 campaign has instead turned into more of the same. The offense that once played with real pop hasn’t shown up, and Gordon’s role in that slide is hard to ignore.
He’s averaging just 11.2 points per game, which puts him on pace for his lowest scoring mark since the 2015-16 season, his second year in the league. The efficiency has been even uglier. Gordon is shooting a career-low 39.5 percent from the field and has hit only 27.8 percent of his 4.0 three-point attempts per game.
Maybe this is just a rough stretch and the numbers will climb. But there are real reasons to wonder whether that’s wishful thinking. Gordon is still dealing with a left calf injury, along with other possible ailments, and at 31, the idea of a major late-career leap feels like a stretch.
That matters because Denver can’t keep asking Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray to carry so much of the load by themselves. The Nuggets’ loss to the Houston Rockets on Monday made that point plain.
Jokic and Murray combined for 63 of Denver’s 100 points, while no other Nugget reached double figures. Gordon finished with three points on 1-for-6 shooting.
If Gordon can’t be that steady third option anymore, the problem gets bigger fast. Denver doesn’t have an obvious answer waiting in the wings, and a major roster upgrade looks difficult because of the team’s financial situation and limited trade assets.
Cameron Johnson has mostly been a spot-up shooter. Christian Braun’s offensive game still has limits.
DeMar DeRozan has disappointed, and his fit remains a concern. Some of the younger pieces, especially Trevon Brazile and Bryce Hopkins, have shown promise, but they still need someone to set the table for them.
That leaves the Nuggets in a tough spot. Gordon can help change the mood if he finds his rhythm, but even that may not be enough. The front office still needs to keep looking for ways to add more offense around Jokic and Murray.
In Other News...
Nuggets Already Face An Early Concern Beyond Their 5-4 Start
The early-season bumps have not been limited to the standings for Denver, which has already had to navigate a 5-4 start along with the kind of logistical headache that can throw off a road trip. After the team dealt with travel difficulties in Mexico City, assistant coach David Adelman reached out to the Nuggets core players as the group prepared to head into Houston, a reminder that the grind of an NBA season can test more than just execution on the floor.
What followed showed how much the Nuggets were trying to balance caution with competitiveness, even before the game tipped. The team ultimately decided to play in Houston, but the situation underscored an early concern for Denver: staying physically and mentally sharp enough to handle the demands of a season that is already asking plenty from a roster still trying to settle in. [Read more 🡒]
Nuggets Showed Something Important In Memphis That Fans Needed To See
The Nuggets left Memphis with a win that felt bigger than a routine road result, because it came with the kind of poise and shot-making they have been searching for. Denver controlled the game for long stretches and held off a Grizzlies push in the third quarter, then leaned on Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic to steady things when the pressure tightened.
Murray kept the offense moving even while dealing with foul trouble, and Jokic once again filled every part of the box score as the Nuggets closed out a 123-118 victory. For a team trying to show it can still impose its will away from home, this was the sort of response that matters, even if the larger question is whether they can keep bringing that edge game after game. [Read more 🡒]
Jokics Slump Is Raising A Bigger Nuggets Concern
Nikola Jokic has still been doing plenty of the little things that help Denver win, especially on the defensive end, where his activity has stood out this season. The Nuggets have benefited from his presence in a stronger team defensive setup, and his willingness to get involved more often on that side of the floor has been one of the quieter positives in an otherwise uneven stretch.
The bigger concern is what has happened when the ball is in his hands at the other end. Jokics shooting has dipped from his usual standard, and Denvers offense has not looked as sharp with him on the floor as it has in past seasons. Whether it is a conditioning issue or something physical lingering in the background, the Nuggets are left watching a version of their centerpiece that is still impacting games, just not in the same dominant way they are used to seeing. [Read more 🡒]