The Denver Nuggets had quite a few surprises in this season so far. The defending champions had a marvelous outing last season, leading the Western Conference with a 53-29 record. Similarly, this season, the team went off to a flying start, holding an unbeaten record. But, it all came crashing down after a series of surprising losses, pushing them to fourth seed 11-6 record. On top of it, the management faced a surprise earlier in the offseason, losing a veteran player in free agency. Nevertheless, Nikola Jokic had a hilarious response to the trade.

Jokic and his men forced their way into their franchise’s first-ever trophy. While on the surface level, it may look like the Serbian star single-handedly carried the team, it wasn’t the case. Apart from him, Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr., Aaron Gordon, KCP, and powerhouses from the bench contributed equally to the team’s success. Unfortunately, one of them parted ways in the 2023 offseason. Let’s find out what Joker had to say to his former teammate.

Nikola Jokic denies championship ring for his former teammate

The former teammate is none other than 37-year-old Jeff Green. He played a crucial role in the Nuggets roster in their maiden champion run, averaging 7.8 points per game, shooting at 49% in the last season. After the season, he moved to the Houston Rockets in free agency.

Notably, the Rockets is one of the teams that troubled the Nuggets in this regular season so far. The team won both their games against the champions and Green dropped 15 points, coming off the bench in one of the games.

While the Nuggets already received their rings on the opening night, Green is all set to receive it on Wednesday night. Meanwhile, Nikola Jokic turned out to be a naysayer, in a hilarious way. When asked about Green’s ring ceremony, Jokic said, “He’s not getting it, he left us… so bye bye!” reported Jake Shapiro, a sports analyst.

Shapiro, further in his post, revealed that the Joker meant the statement on a lighter note.

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On the other hand, Jeff Green revealed the actual reason for leaving the franchise in an interview.

Why did Jeff Green leave the Nuggets?

During an interview with ESPN, the NBA Champion revealed the reason behind accepting a trade offer from the Rockets. “I wanted to stay… But we all know it’s a business first, and when business happens, there’s nothing you can do about it.” He further opened up about how this decision would affect his kids. Green added that his children had already developed strong friendships in Denver, and moving out would deeply affect them.

What do you make of Jeff Green’s exit from the Nuggets? Let us know in the comments below.

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