Nikola Jokic played in only 65 games last season, which is the fewest of his career since joining the league in 2014. This number takes on a new meaning in light of the conflict between the Denver Nuggets’ lineup choices and an MVP who is approaching free agency.
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Draymond Green, who is a forward for the Golden State Warriors, spoke about this matter himself on his show, asking if Denver had really communicated with their franchise center regarding this player whom he had liked.
“I know Nikola Jokic has had a close relationship with Peyton Watson, and they’ve done commercials together,” Green said. “I’d imagine the Denver Nuggets had to speak to him about it. If they didn’t, that could possibly be malpractice because you’re putting yourself in a position with free agency coming up, with the best player in the history of your organization, that could possibly piss him off.”
This warning makes sense since the player is currently playing his last guaranteed season as he has decided not to extend his contract by $278 million this summer and instead wait until next season when the salary cap will be $359 million.
It is the financial rationale that makes Denver trade away Watson. He had his career-best averages of 14.6 points and 4.9 rebounds before he signed a four-year, $88 million contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers, a deal the Nuggets could not afford to consider given their situation above the league’s second tax apron.
However, Jokic commented on the trade when playing for his national team in an exhibition match against France, where he gave well-measured responses that seemed consistent with the coolness that Green referred to.
“I’m glad for Peyton,” Jokic said, per BasketNews.rs. “He’s a good man, really has a good energy, very good for the locker room. We will miss him for sure, but I can’t be unhappy for him.”
Jokic’s reaction is part of the pattern of behavior he has maintained throughout since he was selected by the Denver team with the 41st pick overall in 2014, when he has constantly expressed the desire to end his career with the Nuggets despite any changes in personnel around him.
Such loyalty is at odds with the main talking point of this offseason. The move of Giannis Antetokounmpo from the Milwaukee Bucks to the Miami Heat proved that even superstars who have a championship background will eventually step up if their front office stops constructing around them.
The current depth chart for Denver gives more significance to this comparison because the team’s rotation featuring Marvin Bagley III and Tyus Jones as backups for Jokic leaves little room for error should the MVP need a break during his playoff run.
That razor-thin margin of error is precisely why one trade becomes an entire discussion about the future path of the Nuggets franchise.
Nuggets Have Little Room Left For Error
Nuggets have already lost Bruce Brown, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Michael Porter Jr. after winning the title in 2023, but losing Watson makes a number of questions arise because the Western Conference will be even tougher next season.
Watson didn’t just leave, but left behind a goodbye message on Instagram where he thanked his fans and the organization that supported him ever since he was drafted at the 30th spot back in 2022.
“Playing this game every night on the national stage is difficult on both the body and the mind, but the love from the fans always makes it so worthwhile. I will miss seeing you all at Ball Arena,” Watson wrote.
Denver also managed to secure a playoff berth by coming in third in the West and taking Minnesota to six games in the first round, which is evidence that the core unit still has what it takes despite losing its supporting cast each year.
The only difference now is that Jokic is only one year away from being an unrestricted free agent, and any decision Denver makes is evaluated on whether it makes him more or less likely to stay.
None of that Jokic is going anywhere, anytime soon; all signs point to him remaining a Nugget. But what it does mean is that the room for error is significantly smaller, and Green’s point holds, regardless.