Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- Nikola Jokić has said he wants to finish his career with the Nuggets but that doesn't mean fans can't imagine him on other rosters.
- The Bulls, Lakers and Hawks could all offer him a chance at a ring and feature incredibly fun rosters and styles of play with Jokić.
- How each potential destination could reshape both Jokic's legacy and the team's immediate title outlook remains to be seen.
No one associated with the Denver Nuggets is flying high after the team's ugly playoff exit at the hands of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Superstar center Nikola Jokić certainly seems to be down in the dumps after failing to advance past the first round. His team's failure to mount a serious challenge in the playoffs has plenty of people wondering about Jokić's future with the franchise.
The former MVP was quick to tell reporters that he wants to stay a Nugget "forever" after Thursday's loss to Minnesota. Jokić will be eligible to sign a four-year, $278 million extension this offseason to remain with the only NBA franchise he's ever known.
The odds favor Jokić inking that massive deal and casting his future with the Nuggets. Interestingly, that might not give him the best chance to win another NBA title. It also won't be the move that captivates the most NBA fans possible. If Jokić wants to really get league fans talking he should consider moving to one of the following three teams.
Nikola Jokić + Luca Dončić = TV ratings bonanza
The Los Angeles Lakers have a chance to be a cap space team if they let LeBron James walk in free agency. Opening up over $48 million cap space would grease the wheels for a potential trade between the Lakers and their Western Conference rivals.
The odds of the two front offices agreeing to such a seismic swap are remote, but that doesn't change the intrigue of a potential pairing of Jokić and Luka Dončić. With all due respect to Jamaal Murray, that might be the most scintillating pick-and-roll combo of the league were it to come to fruition.
Throw in Austin Reaves at point guard and Los Angeles would have one of the most talented offensive trios in the league. The Lakers' defense might be equally as flammable but watching Doncic and Jokić play together would be appointment viewing for neutral NBA fans.
Nikola Jokić could make the Chicago Bulls relevant once again
The Chicago Bulls have been mired in mediocrity ever since Derrick Rose stopped playing at an MVP level. What better way to rebuild the franchise's momentum than by bringing in another MVP to build the team around.
The Bulls are projected to have over $63 million in cap space this summer, which makes the mechanics of acquiring Jokić easier for them than any other potential trade partner. Chicago does not have a ton of talent to leverage around Jokić, but Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis would give the team's new coach an interesting corps to wield.
Giddey, in particular, could form a dynamic offensive partnership with Jokić. Both players are elite passers which would make guarding them a nightmare for opponents. Giddey does not possess the shooting ability that helps Murray torment opponents, but he can unlock things in the halfcourt with his ability to find shooters in the opposite corner out of conventional pick-and-roll actions.
Moving to the Bulls wouldn't maximize Jokić's championship equity, but it would revive interest in a sleeping giant of a franchise. Jokić in Chicago would finally give the tortured fan base something to really cheer about.
Nikola Jokić could make the Atlanta Hawks an Eastern Confernece contender
The Atlanta Hawks are still smarting after being blown off the floor by the Knicks at home in Game 6 of their Eastern Conference playoff series. The reality is Atlanta took a big step forward this year even if their season ended with a disastrous loss.
It wasn't so long ago that the Hawks front office believed Kristaps Porziņģis was the right big man to unlock their offense. The idea in Atlanta was for him to stretch the floor with his 3-point shot while giving them limited rim deterrence on the other end.
Deploying Jokić at the top of the key for Atlanta's offense could do wonders to cure their offensive ills. His passing would be more valuable than his long-range shooting but it would stretch the floor in a similar fashion. Acquiring Jokić would also lessen the Hawks' needs to find a conventional point guard they currently lack.
The salary cap calculations of getting Jokić to Atlanta are challenging, but he could turn them into borderline Eastern Conference favorites in the right trade. Perhaps more importantly, he could make Atlanta a highlight factory once again.
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