The Denver Nuggets captured their first-ever championship just two seasons ago, led by three-time MVP Nikola Jokić.
His longtime friendship with Luka Dončić, however, could be the reason he wants out of Denver.
The two parties were unable to figure out an extension on his contract, which would allow him to enter free agency next offseason.
One idea proposed by CBS Sports’ Sam Quinn has Jokić teaming up with Luka and LeBron James in Los Angeles, for one last farewell tour if James decides to call it quits the season after.
“Jokić was eligible to extend this offseason but declined to do so. The obvious explanation was that he can make more money by waiting a year. The subtext is that, should things go south in Denver, he’d have a close friend waiting for him in Los Angeles,” Quinn said Monday.
“Just as the Lakers were supposed to fear a possible Dončić trade request if he had not been happy in Los Angeles, they are banking on someone, whether it’s Antetokounmpo, Jokić or someone we aren’t expecting, to become unhappy somewhere else.”
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For the Lakers to keep Dončić happy, Quinn believes they will have to be lucky enough for a superstar, in this case Jokić, to become frustrated with their current team.
It does seem unlikely that this would happen, as the Nuggets just had a terrific offseason.
Ever since Jokić became the player he is today, the goal has been to build the team around his playstyle, and under new management, that’s exactly what they did.
They traded for Cam Johnson and Jonas Valančiūnas, and signed former Nugget Bruce Brown.
The idea of Jokić in Los Angeles isn’t completely out of the question, but it would take a lot of screwing up over the next year in order to happen.
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