Aaron Gordon is always the first person on the court to bring good vibes and energy to the Denver Nuggets. Whether it’s from an electrifying dunk, a big defensive stop, or just a moment on the sideline where he’s trying to get everyone fired up, Mr. Nugget always has the energy that his team needs.
Just days into training camp, it’s clear that Gordon’s vibes are high. The Nuggets are healthy, retooled and ready to embark on the long journey to winning a second NBA Championship in four seasons. How are the spirits of the rest of the team?
“High, so high,” he said after practice on Thursday. “It’s so early, but we know we have a great opportunity to do something special.
“I think it’s all over. I think it starts before we even get to the court. I think it starts when everybody’s warming up and getting the weight room. There’s not one person skipping weights. You see everybody is, after work, getting shots, getting their treatment. So the energy is everywhere, through the coaching staff and through everybody’s willingness to learn, everybody’s willingness to communicate with each other and wanting to be around each other,” he said.
That’s something that Nuggets fans have been dying to hear, especially given how off the vibes were towards the end of last season when they fired Michael Malone and Calvin Booth just days before the playoffs.
‘THE YOUNG GUYS GOT A LOT BETTER’
Gordon also praised the younger role players on Denver’s roster after Thursday’s practice. All of the focus this offseason has been on the new acquisitions of Jonas Valanciunas, Cam Johnson, Bruce Brown and Tim Hardaway Sr., but not a lot of energy has been put into seeing how the likes of Peyton Watson and Jalen Pickett have developed after they both played in larger roles a season ago.
Gordon made sure to emphasize how impressed he’s been with their play through this first week of official team action.
“The young guys got a lot better, like P-Wat is moving different. [Julian Strawther] is getting to his stuff. [Jalen] Pick[ett] is playing well… So there’s a lot of talent in the gym,” he said.
Gordon talked about how their growth will help them be more ready from a mental aspect in big moments than they have been in the past.
“I just think it’s gonna be nice to see some of the younger guys just get busy and get to it, you know, to calm down in the actual game and just kill that’s going to be that’s gonna be nice to see,” he said.
Watson, Pickett and Strawther all saw a career high in minutes per game last season. While Pickett wasn’t a true part of the playoff rotation, Watson and Strawther were both given an opportunity to make an impact on winning basketball in the playoffs, highlighted by Strawther catching fire in Game 6 against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
“It just feels more like a team. You know, everybody is contributing. Everybody knows that they can contribute in their own special way,” Gordon said.
If Gordon is talking about the Nuggets like this heading into the season, then the fanbase should be very excited for what’s to come.
