The Denver Nuggets quickly went from a legitimate contender to a first-round exit. It wasn't just that they were eliminated by the Minnesota Timberwolves; it was how they were eliminated, falling to a shorthanded team that was notably without superstar Anthony Edwards.
After failing to meet expectations, it's safe to say that changes are on the horizon in Denver.
Shams Charania recently discussed the Nuggets' offseason changes on ESPN, noting that David Adelman's head coaching job is safe and the top priority is re-signing Nikola Jokic. However, the pressing question now is which pieces will surround Jokic in Denver.
"There is going to be real roster changes coming to Denver... They are going to listen to calls on everyone on the roster besides Nikola Jokic," Charania reported.
The Portland Trail Blazers should absolutely look to capitalize on the fallout of the Nuggets' early exit. Specifically, they should target Aaron Gordon to fill their power forward position.
Blazers have the assets to pull off an Aaron Gordon trade
ClutchPoints' Brett Siegel names the Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns, and Boston Celtics as potential suitors, as Gordon would help their win-now timelines. I think that should apply to Portland as well, considering this team just ended its playoff drought and has aspirations to build off that appearance with Damian Lillard's return next season.
Gordon would be a good fit to help address the Blazers' lack of forward depth. He's also reinvented his offensive game as someone who is quietly a reliable floor spacer, hovering around 40 percent from beyond the arc the past two seasons. Portland still needs to find a 1a go-to option to raise its ceiling and become a genuine contender. Still, adding a piece like Gordon, who already has proven championship experience, would go a long way toward aligning with Lillard's timeline for this young roster.
Landing a piece of Gordon's caliber is much easier said than done. Despite the Nuggets exploring trades for everyone not named Nikola Jokic, that doesn't mean they'll trade away Gordon at a discount, either.
"The immediate belief surrounding Denver is that while the possibility of trading Gordon will be discussed, sources said it would take quite an offer to part with him. Gordon is not viewed as a clear salary-dump option for the Nuggets entering the summer, and the only way they would consider trading him is if they were to retain key draft capital lost in previous trades, as well as another impactful starter," Siegel writes.
That's a logical approach considering how well Gordon has proven to fit alongside Jokic, providing him with a cutter to take advantage of Jokic's elite court vision. But if there's a team that should be considered a dark horse to fulfill these trade requirements, it's Portland.
They have done a great job of stockpiling assets by taking a patient rebuilding approach, and could afford to sacrifice some for a key piece like Gordon. He's set to make $33.6 million next season, which is extremely close to Jerami Grant's $34.2 million. The Blazers could make a Gordon-Grant swap work financially and have the treasure chest of future assets to incentivize Denver to take on that downgrade. Grant may be overpaid, but he's still a starting-caliber player who would provide Jokic another shooter.
Perhaps Portland would have to attach another young asset to get them to sign off, but Grant and picks seem like an intriguing foundation for a Nuggets team that seems set on retooling around Jokic. It's certainly worth exploring for Portland.
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