All the cost-saving moves the Nuggets have made in the past couple of years — this summer that meant letting starter Kentavious Caldwell-Pope walk — was to have the money to keep their core players around Nikola Jokic. Earlier this summer that meant a four-year, $209 million max extension for Jamal Murray.

On Wednesday that meant a contract extension that will keep Aaron Gordon with the Nuggets for four years, paying him $133 million, a story broken by Shams Charania of The Athletic.

This locks up the Nuggets’ core of Jokic, Murray, Gordon and Michael Porter Jr. for the next three seasons, keeping the team in title contention if everyone stays healthy.

Gordon is set to make $22.8 million this season and, as part of this new deal, he will opt into that same $22.8 million for the 2025-26 season. From there, the new three-year, $103 million contract will kick in and run through the 2028-29 season, with the final season being a player option at $37.1 million. By opting in for next season, Gordon ends up saving the Nuggets about $10 million over the course of the contract.

Gordon has been essential to the Nuggets contention — and 2023 title — as the versatile big who can play next to Nikola Jokic. Last season Gordon averaged 13.9 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists a game, but his 3-point shooting — which was 34.7% the Nuggets championship season — fell off to 29.%. Denver needs him to find that form again if they want to return to the Finals.

But they got him locked up, and that’s what matters.