There is a lot happening, so brace yourself. Nikola Jokic teaming up with Luka Doncic in LA would be a dream scenario for the Lakers. There’s no doubt they would create the NBA’s most dangerous untouchable offense. But turning that fantasy into reality is where the problem lies…
The issue is double-sided. A) The Lakers convincing the Nuggets to give up their three-time MVP would be an enormous challenge. B) Denver might’ve already started a domino effect during which they’ll lose Jokic regardless.
“The Lakers would need to figure out a way to rope in second teams, third teams, possibly fourth teams,” said Brian Kamenetzky on Locked on Lakers. “If you want to put together a package, that would be tempting to the Nuggets. It’s not going to be Walker Kessler, a pick swap, three second-rounders, and Jarred Vanderbilt, who’s probably still under contract at that point. That’s not going to get it done.
“They have so little to offer that short of tearing down what they have to get there, which is a colossally bad idea, and one they won’t, a path they won’t walk down. They don’t even have the stuff to pretend to make this work, at least in terms of draft capital and things like that!”
Just then, his co-host Andy Kamenetzky added one more problem.
“Forget the trade assets, it’s difficult to come up with a deal where you’re having to match Nikola Jokic’s almost $60M in salary in 2027 or $62.8M if he opts into the next deal. It’s very difficult to manufacture something like [that].”
It’s not the first time that the fantasy pairing of the Joker and Doncic has been discussed. The Lakers, however, sacrificed a lot to bring in Walker Kessler. Rob Pelinka was under serious fire from the fanbase after giving up two future first-round picks and two future first-round pick swaps. Their pockets are now empty.
We’ll come back to the Purple and Gold. Now, the Nuggets’ decision to trade Peyton Watson to the Cleveland Cavaliers has raised major questions about talisman Jokic’s future. It has openly signaled that Denver realizes it has no choice but to prioritize finances over contending and roster decisions.
“If I were advising Nikola Jokic, I would tell him, ‘All right, start putting those ducks in a line, ducks in a row, whatever you want to call it, to eventually make your exit,'” Lakers insider Anthony F. Irwin said.
Hall of Famer George Karl called the Nuggets incapable of “supporting” their legends. He claimed (realistically) that Jokic was on his way to becoming a top-10 player to ever grace an NBA court, but that isn’t “realistic” anymore in Denver.
That’s simply down to the Nuggets not having meaningful roster depth. And they cannot do anything about it either because of second-apron restrictions. The front office is overpaying its starters, who weren’t even fit. In the trio of Christian Braun, Aaron Gordon, and Cam Johnson, two of them didn’t even cross the 45-game mark last season. They’re collectively set to make $72 million next season.
Denver is nowhere near contending for a championship. In fact, they’ve gotten older and worse. Now, Nikola Jokic’s case is relevant here because he is under contract with the Nuggets through the 2027-28 season, with a player option worth roughly $62.8 million for the final year. That gives Denver significant leverage. The three-time MVP has also repeatedly expressed his desire to finish his career in Denver.
“My idea is to stay with Nuggets, I’ll most probably sign next summer,” Jokic told Serbian journalist Marko Ljubomirović of Admiral Bet (translated using Google Translate). “The decision is strictly business-oriented. My desire is to stay and play for Denver the rest of my career. It’s up to them whether they’ll offer me that or not.”
Logically, why would Jokic, who can still produce averages of 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 10.7 assists, play on a team that’s getting worse? Jokic understandably wants to lock in his late 30s with a hefty paycheck, which is why he is delaying an extension, but what about the ambition of winning a title?
Now, that’s where the Lakers come in, and why they are currently a better destination for Jokic. The salary side is more manageable for LA. Austin Reaves’ new contract is worth four years and $185 million, while Kessler signed a four-year, $130 million deal. Their combined 2026-27 salaries would put the Lakers above the $60 million mark needed to make a hypothetical blockbuster easier to construct financially. But only matching salaries does not solve the larger problem.
As established, the Lakers have already moved significant future draft capital. That leaves them without the deep collection of premium picks Denver would demand for Jokic, even though he is 31. Remember, the Nuggets are looking for a new franchise cornerstone in the long run…
On the other hand, the Lakers are trying to convince their franchise cornerstone not to leave. Doncic came to LA to win titles. Earlier in the offseason, Rob Pelinka made a pledge to the Slovenian and the fanbase that they were looking to build the entire roster around him, now that LeBron James had moved on.
That is also why Pelinka overspent to bring in a potentially long-term big man prospect in Walker Kessler alongside other better-fitting pieces like Quentin Grimes, Collin Sexton, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Kevon Looney, and more.
Nothing is stopping Doncic from leaving LA two seasons from now if they aren’t contenders. He has a player option worth $57.4 million in the 2028-29 season, exactly a year after Jokic’s player option. There is a genuine world in which the Serb is brought in as an extreme last resort to convince Doncic to stay.
It doesn’t matter whether Jokic would’ve signed his supermax contract extension or not. The Lakers have the salaries to make the trade work. They just need a team or two to help them with draft capital. And if the Nuggets can pull off a four-team trade for Peyton Watson’s future, then so can LA.
That is where the dream of a Jokic-Doncic partnership hits reality. Both share a close, playful bond and have also shared the court during the All-Star Weekends, making this a potentially good partnership in the Purple and Gold.