The Serbian center Nikola Jokic, a three-time NBA MVP winner (2021, 2022, and 2024) and currently considered a strong contender for this year’s MVP award, trailing only Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the projections as of April 2025, has dedicated his entire NBA career to the Denver Nuggets. The Nuggets drafted him in 2014 as the 41st overall pick in the second round.
This happened just one season before coach Michael Malone was signed by the Denver Nuggets franchise in 2015. They went on to become NBA champions in 2023, largely due to the stellar performance of Nikola Jokic. It is accurate to say that Nikola Jokic is a proven winner. He plays basketball with a clear focus on achieving victory and consistently elevates his team’s performance. Game after game, he demonstrates his immense value and significant contributions to the Denver Nuggets through his exceptional skills, leadership, and selfless play. His dedication to the team’s success is evident in his consistent high-level performance and his willingness to do whatever it takes to win.
Despite Jokic’s pivotal role and impressive statistics, many felt he was unfairly passed over for the MVP award that year, which was given to Joel Embiid. In recent days, however, the Denver Nuggets organization has been a focus of social media chatter, primarily due to the surprising news that Michael Malone was relieved of his coaching duties earlier this week, on April 8, 2025, leading to widespread speculation and questions among fans about the reasons behind his departure
While recent reports and social media discussions following Michael Malone’s have created some uncertainty around the Denver Nuggets’ future, there are no credible sources currently indicating that Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets are “mostly parting ways in the future.” In fact, Jokic has expressed his commitment to the franchise and has a long-term contract.
Nikola Jokic future
While it’s an interesting thought to consider Nikola Jokic potentially joining the Los Angeles Lakers, several factors make this scenario complex at this time.
Firstly, Nikola Jokic is currently under a significant long-term contract with the Denver Nuggets. He signed a 5-year, $276 million extension in 2022, which runs through the 2027-2028 season, with a player option for that final year. This means he is under team control for the foreseeable future.
Secondly, while his friendship with fellow European star Luka Doncic (who, as you correctly pointed out, plays for the Lakers) and the presence of LeBron James on a historic franchise like the Lakers could be appealing, there are no concrete reports or indications from credible sources that Jokic is looking to leave Denver. In fact, following the recent dismissal of coach Michael Malone, some reports suggest Jokic was surprised and potentially unhappy with the decision, underscoring his strong connection to the Nuggets organization, even if there are conflicting reports about his long-term satisfaction.
Thirdly, any potential acquisition of a player of Jokic’s caliber would involve intricate NBA trade rules and salary cap considerations. The Lakers would need to have the necessary assets (players and draft picks) and salary cap space to facilitate such a monumental trade, which would be incredibly challenging given Jokic’s high salary. While some speculative scenarios have been discussed online, they often involve the Lakers parting with significant portions of their current roster and future draft capital.
The idea of Jokic joining the Lakers to form a potentially dominant “Big Three” with Doncic and James is enticing for fans, it remains a speculative scenario at this point due to Jokic’s contract situation and lack of any public indication of his desire to leave the Denver Nuggets.
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