The Denver Nuggets have struggled out of the gate thus far this season, raising questions about the future of star Nikola Jokic. The Nuggets have looked sluggish at the start of the season, and it calls into question whether they can actually contend in a loaded Western conference.
They are clearly a step behind the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder, as well as the Minnesota Timberwolves. Being at least the fourth-best team in the West isn't a great place to be.
This wasn't unexpected with them having gotten worse over the summer after trading Peyton Watson. Considering the Nuggets didn't get better over the summer, it could make Jokic's future with the team less certain.
Nuggets are inching closer to an uncomfortable Nikola Jokic reality
Jokic will be an unrestricted free agent after this season, meaning arguably the best player in the NBA can leave Denver for nothing. If the Nuggets underperform, then they aren't exactly making a strong case to persuade him to stay.
Other teams are certainly hoping he will leave town, and the Nuggets haven't done much in the way to convince him to stay put. As is, they are potentially a top 4 team in the West but clearly behind three teams.
A lot would have to go right for them to make a deep playoff run, and even with a peak Jokic, that's a tall task for them to achieve.
The Nuggets' struggles may be Nikola Jokic related
Perhaps something that wasn't factored into many people's projections of the Nuggets is the potential for him to take a step back this season. Remember, he will turn 32 this season and is currently in his 12th year in the NBA.
While his game should age well, his stats have dropped significantly from last season. Obviously, it's only a handful of games into the 2026-27 season, but even during the NBA Playoffs, he simply wasn't the same player that many had come to expect him to be.
If he is even 10% worse than what he was last season, then Denver is in absolute trouble. After all, they were likely banking on him offsetting any potential roster flaws.
Jokic going from being arguably the best player in the NBA to being, say, a top-5 player might not seem like a huge drop-off. However, it could make the Nuggets noticeably worse and increase the possibility of him leaving in free agency. That's what's at stake for Denver this season.
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