"His ego never got in the way" - Michael Malone on Aaron Gordon's mindset upon joining the Denver Nuggets last season
Michael Malone heaped praise on Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon's positive mindset. Gordon joined the Nuggets via a trade from the Orlando Magic in the 2020-21 NBA season. Malone, who has been the head coach of the Nuggets for six years, is appreciative of Gordon's sefless attitude, which helps him play under the likes of Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray.
Aaron Gordon was a midseason signing and his seamless fit in the Nuggets roster helped him become a regular in the starting lineup. In the 25 games that he played for the Denver Nuggets in the regular season, Gordon averaged 10.2 PPG, 4.7 RPG and 2.2 APG. He was a key piece of the team and made things easy for Nikola Jokic.
Speaking to SiriusXM NBA Radio about Aaron Gordon, Michael Malone said:
"He realised that he was coming to a really good basketball team that had tremendous success in the playoff the year before and that was what he was excited about. "Hey, I am coming into a team that has the chance to win at a high level and let me fit in. Let me find a way to play with Nikola Jokic and with and off Jamal Murray and Michael Porter and so ya, his ego never got in the way."
"[Aaron Gordon] realized that he was coming to a really good basketball team."
Nuggets HC Michael Malone was impressed with Aaron Gordon from the start.
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Aaron Gordon was impressive in the limited time he got with the Denver Nuggets in the 2020-21 season. However, he did enough to get himself a 4-year $92 million extension. The 26-year-old will be a vital part of the team's battle for an NBA title.
How important is Aaron Gordon to the Denver Nuggets?
Aaron Gordon was one of the best players of the franchise when he played for the Orlando Magic. However, when he made the move to the Denver Nuggets, Gordon had to play under the likes of Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and budding star Michael Porter Jr.
The athletic star played that role to perfection as he combined well with the roster and was impactful right from the word go.
This season, the Denver Nuggets will once again be one of the hot favorites to finish in the Top 4 of the Western Conference. With Jamal Murray out for a considerable part of the season, they will rely heavily on Nikola Jokic and MPJ to produce magic. However, if the Nuggets are to achieve further success, they will need another scintillating year from Aaron Gordon.
Gordon will be the target of numerous dimes from Nikola Jokic. He is also a terrific defender and can do an incredible job against some of the best offensive players in the league. If Aaron Gordon manages to perform to his full potential and Jamal Murray returns in time for the playoffs, the Nuggets will impose a huge challenge to the rest of the West.