According to Shams Charania of ESPN, Denver Nuggets starting forward Aaron Gordon will be out for many weeks with a right calf injury.

Gordon left Monday night’s game against the Toronto Raptors at 7:44 in the first quarter due to right calf discomfort and a right knee contusion. He did not return. The Nuggets initially described Gordon’s injury as a calf strain and announced that he would not return to the game.

While the Nuggets were able to defeat Toronto by two points, losing Gordon is a significant blow to a team that is already missing star point guard Jamal Murray due to a concussion. Gordon’s defensive influence and ability to create second-chance scoring opportunities on offense thanks to his superb rebounding talents will make him indispensable in Denver.

Before departing Monday’s game with a calf injury, Gordon was averaging 17.5 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game while shooting 52.9 percent from the field. Because of his consistent play heading into the 2024-25 season, the Nuggets rewarded Gordon with a four-year, $133 million contract deal just before the season started.

Denver is now 4-3 on the season after a two-point win without Gordon on Monday night. Of the Nuggets’ four wins this season, two have come in overtime, and both of their victories over Toronto were by two points. Early on, the Nuggets struggled to identify their identity apart from their three-time MVP, so Gordon’s departure raises even more doubts about their ability to compete at the best level possible in what appears to be a highly congested Western Conference.