The Nuggets’ 2026 playoff run ended disappointingly quickly, with the team losing in six games to the Timberwolves in the first round. One reason the team struggled to gain traction was the absence of their Swiss Army Knife forward, Aaron Gordon.

Gordon played just three games in that series and only reached 30 minutes in one of them as he dealt with calf tightness. It was a fitting end to an injury-riddled season that saw him play just 33 regular-season games, but after a recent one-day camp, he said that he’s feeling good about next season.

“I did a lot of soul-searching [this offseason] and training, so I got my mind right and my body right,” he said, per DNVR Nuggets (Twitter video link). “I’m ready to go.”

He also spoke on why it was important for him to get the team out of their comfort zone during the Nuggets’ mini-camp in Puerto Rico, as well as his response to the departure of Peyton Watson.

“That’s my dawg, but it’s deeper than basketball with Peyton and I,” he said. “Our families members go to the same church, Peyton’s just like my brother. I’m happy for him, the situation that he’s in. Obviously, we would’ve loved to have him, but it worked out the way it should’ve. That it was supposed to.”

We have more notes from around the Nuggets:

Denver is hoping that newly-signed veteran DeMar DeRozan still has enough left in the tank to contribute for a contender after several years of playoff-less basketball. The 37-year-old has remained a durable and productive player as he’s gotten older, and will likely still lead the Nuggets in bench scoring, Chris Dempsey writes for Demps and Circumstance. The team will need to surround him with multiple high-level shooters to maximize his inside-the-paint scoring prowess, but despite the three-point and defensive concerns, he should be a strong contender to be in closing units, Dempsey writes.
Nikola Jokic has been a superstar in the NBA for many years, and he recently indicated that he was getting fed up with the celebrity that came with it, Randall Barnes writes for Clutch Points. “I’m getting more and more bothered by popularity,” Jokic said recently. “This is going to sound corny, but, I’m getting ruder to people who approach me. Honestly, it’s tiring…Some people around me know, I don’t take pictures because it’s my time. I’ll sound rude again, but what can I do? If people can’t understand me, I understand everything, but it’s been 11-12 years and enough is enough. I feel better when someone tells me something, like you come to the zoo and take a picture of something.” Jokic noted that he shouldn’t be looked at as a role model, though the Denver Gazette’s Mark Kiszla takes issue with that statement, saying his role and stature make him an ambassador for basketball on the international stage. Kiszla notes that Jokic seemed to become more reticent about dealing with the media and American celebrity culture after a controversy over the accidental use of an anti-gay slur in the 2018/19 season.
The Nuggets’ preseason will tip off on October 4 against the Jazz. There are three main things to look out for during the run-up to the season, according to Vinny Benedetto of the Gazette: how Gordon and Christian Braun are moving physically after dealing with injuries last year, who fills the backup point guard spot between Tyus Jones, KJ Simpson, and DeRozan, and how ready rookies Trevon Brazile, Bryce Hopkins, and 29-year-old Alpha Diallo are to step into minutes when called upon.