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Jan 17, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon (32) dribbles the ball up court in the first quarter against the Washington Wizards at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Nuggets Reveal Optimistic Update on Aaron Gordon's Injury

Originally posted on Denver Nuggets on SI | By Jared Koch | Last updated Feb 24, 2026 8:53 PM ET

The Denver Nuggets appear to be trending in the right direction when it comes to Aaron Gordon's recovery from his latest hamstring injury.

Nuggets head coach David Adelman spoke about where Gordon stands in his recovery process following a recent team practice, noting that he had participated in "basically everything" outside of contact drills.

"He did basically everything but the contact stuff," Adelman said. "He got up and down the script. We did some situational defensive drills. He was a part of that, but it's just going to be a day-by-day thing. I think the more he gets out there, just gets up and down and plays with contact, even if it's against our coaches, that would bring more confidence for everybody to feel comfortable with him coming back."

"Aaron's been great. He's understood the process. And I think you all understand how frustrating this has been for him. He sees us losing games that he could be a part of. He sees us winning games that were completely joyful like Portland where everything went our way, and he's not a part of either. So, he understands the process. He also understands how important he is to this group, and how he completes us. But we have to make sure he's right."

"Just going to do everything we can to get him right for that last stretch to make him feel comfortable going into some huge games."

Nuggets' Aaron Gordon Trending In Positive Direction

Adelman's comments are exactly the type of words the Nuggets needed to hear regarding the status of their injured two-way star, who's been forced out of Denver's rotation dating back to late January due to his second hamstring strain of the season.

Both hamstring strains have since forced out Gordon for the most time in a single season due to injury since joining aboard the Nuggets back during the 2021 trade deadline, now up to 35 games missed throughout the year thus far.

The good news is that fans might not have to wait much longer before seeing Gordon back on the floor, and while he won't be cleared to play until he can officially jump that hurdle of going through contact drills in practice, the gradual progression he's made in recent weeks from his rehab is extremely encouraging for what lies ahead.

Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

During the 23 games that Gordon has played this season, he's averaged 17.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.5 assists while shooting efficiently 50.9-40.0-78.9 splits, being a vital difference-maker for the Nuggets on both ends of the floor. While a smaller sample size, it's his highest points per game average while being in Denver, and a second-straight season of shooting over 50% from the floor and 40% from three.

It remains to be seen exactly when Gordon will be cleared to play, but the sooner that he's able to get back into the lineup, get re-adjusted to game speed, and build that on-court chemistry back up, the better it'll be for the Nuggets' success all around.

This article first appeared on Denver Nuggets on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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