NBA news: Nikola Jokic makes history, next steps for Nuggets, Heat

Today’s NBA news is all about the Nuggets and Nikola Jokic, who secured their place in history by beating the Heat in Game 5. We also look at what’s next for Miami and a few new NBA Draft prospects to follow.

Of all the remarkable things about Nikola Jokic’s career resume, the most remarkable may be that he’s still only 28 and closer to the beginning of his hypothetical prime than the end of it. His two MVPs in 2020-21 and 2021-22 put him in exclusive company — just only four other centers in NBA history have multiple MVPs (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Moses Malone, Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain).

Those big men also all won at least one championship, another box Jokic checked last night in helping the Nuggets beat the Miami Heat in Game 5. Given how things went this year, it seems like he has a decent chance at averaging a triple-double for his entire career, something only two other players have ever managed. He’s also already in the top 20 in career playoff averages for points, rebounds and assists.

Nikola Jokic is already a Hall-of-Famer

The Basketball-Reference Hall-of-Fame probability model — which takes into account variables like titles, leaderboard points, peak Win Shares and All-Star Game selections — hasn’t been updated yet to include info from this season. But a back-of-the-envelope calculation with this year’s results gives him an 88.52 percent of getting inducted to the Hall-of-Fame if he retired today.

That is to say, without playing another game, he would have already amassed a Hall-of-Fame resume more impressive than Kawhi Leonard, Draymond Green, Joe Dumars, Artis Gilmore, Nate Thurmond, Wes Unseld, Mo Cheeks or Reggie Miller. Even two more years of modest production with an All-Star selection and a few top-10 finishes in total points, rebounds and/or assists could put him into 100 percent territory in the model, something only 29 current or active NBA players have ever achieved.

The point I’m trying to make is that Nikola Jokic is just one of the greatest passing big men in NBA history and he’s not just the best player in the world right now. He’s already among the best centers to ever play the game, full stop. His dominance might feel different than Shaq’s power, Hakeem Olajuwon’s lithe grace, Wilt Chamberlain’s size advantage or Kareem Abdul Jabbar’s soft touch. But he’s in their class, he’s in that tier, on that level.

And with, theoretically, at least another half-decade of peak performance ahead of him it’s not crazy to think he could move himself even closer to the top.

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Better know an NBA Draft prospect:

We’re less than two weeks away from the NBA Draft and as the top few picks begin to come together, it’s worth shifting some focus to prospects who could be selected later in the lottery or first-round. Over the next few days, we’ll share some brief capsules on several of these prospects. But don’t forget to check out Chris Kline’s excellent scouting reports for more details.

Cam Whitmore

• Height: 6-foot-7
• Weight: 232 pounds
• Position: Small Forward
• Offensive Role: Slasher/spacer
• Defensive Role: Switchable wing
• Projected Draft Range: 3-10
• Team with rumored interest: Pacers, Pistons, Jazz
• Scouting report summary: “Cam Whitmore is one of the most promising two-way players on the board. His remarkable athleticism and high-level competitive spirit should have teams as early as No. 3 considering the Villanova product. While it will be difficult for some to overlook the inconsistency and even the relative lack of success for Villanova as a whole, smart teams will see in Whitmore the crystal-clear outline of a future star. His particular blend of size, strength, and quick-twitch power is not common. Very few players can move and elevate like Whitmore. Even fewer can truck defenders like a lineman.” — READ MORE

Leonard Miller

• Height: 6-foot-10
• Weight: 213 pounds
• Position: Power Forward
• Offensive Role: Slasher/Cutter
• Defensive Role: Switchable Forward
• Projected Draft Range: 15-30
• Team with rumored interest: Heat, Lakers, Pacers
• Scouting report summary: “Leonard Miller is more than capable of being a signature player from the 2023 class when all is said and done. His shifty movement skills, touch around the rim, passing upside, and athletic versatility form a rare combination. He also has more bust potential than others in the FanSided top 20. He’s not a good defender yet. He should be — he has all the physical components necessary to be a great defender — but the results aren’t there yet. His effort on the glass and strong motor should translate in time, but maybe don’t expect him to play crucial postseason minutes as a rookie.” — READ MORE

NBA news and content from around the FanSided network

• There is no denying it — Nikola Jokic is the best basketball player in the world right now.
• From James Harden to Bruce Brown, these 10 player option decisions could change the shape and tenor of the NBA offseason.
• The Heat didn’t have enough to beat the Nuggets. But they can take the lessons they learned in this series and come back stronger next year.
• Rumors broke that the Pelicans may try to trade up to No. 3 for Scoot Henderson. Here’s how they might be able to pull it off.

What’s next for the Miami Heat?

The Miami Heat came up just short against the Nuggets but there’s every reason to think they could be in position for another deep run next season, especially with a healthy Tyler Herro. Here’s what else they need to figure out this offseason:

• 2023 Draft Picks: No. 18
• Option decisions: Victor Oladipo (player)
• Free agents: Kevin Love (UFA), Max Strus (UFA), Gabe Vincent (UFA), Cody Zeller (UFA), Omer Yurtseven (RFA)
• Potential offseason targets: Vincent, Strus, Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook, Lonnie Walker

What’s next for the Denver Nuggets?

The Denver Nuggets will be taking some time to celebrate the first championship in franchise history but they’ll have their work cut out for them this summer. Bruce Brown’s player option decision is a huge one, especially since the Nuggets are capped in how much they can offer him and may need to get creative to bring him back. They also have a slew of veterans who could be leaving in free agency and while replacing them may be more important for the regular season than the playoffs, they need to keep building their depth.

• 2023 Draft Picks: No. 37, No. 40
• Option decisions: Bruce Brown (player)
• Free agents: Ish Smith (UFA), Jeff Green (UFA), Thomas Bryant (UFA), Reggie Jackson (UFA), DeAndre Jordan (UFA)
• Potential offseason targets: Terrence Ross, Shake Milton, Frank Ntilikina