Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic could be a much improved version of himself while playing at a lighter weight.
With Denver Nuggets star center Nikola Jokic losing a reported 40 pounds during the NBA hiatus, many are wondering how a slimmer Joker will fare at a position where he used to be able to use his bulkier frame to get his way in the low-post, whether it was for offense or defense.
Keep in mind that after arriving at training camp last year at 284 pounds, Jokic shed 20-25 pounds during the season in order to improve on his what was substandard play (for him at least) at the beginning of the season.
That means that, altogether, Jokic has lost 60-65 pounds since training camp. This leaves him at a weight between 219-224 pounds, which is significantly lighter than we’ve ever seen him and makes him one of the lightest centers in the league. As you might expect, this does lead to logical questions about how it’ll affect his play.
Offense
As previously mentioned, there are some individuals who believe that Jokic’s lighter from will work against him when it comes to both low-post offense and low-post defense, as a heftier frame would allow him to bully his way to the rim or to allow him to hold his ground when opposing players attempt a post-up. However, this viewpoint underestimates Jokic’s footwork in the post and his high basketball IQ.
This article from Forbes’ Joel Rush does a terrific job demonstrating (with numbers) how Jokic’s low-post play doesn’t rely on his weight nearly as much nifty footwork and craftiness. Ultimately, a quicker and more athletic Jokic should actually be better in the post than before, as he uses speed to his advantage.
Offensively, his improved athleticism could also lead to him making quicker plays in transition and being able to beat his man from the perimeter more often on dribble-drives. As Rush noted, Jokic’s best seasons shooting the 3-ball came when he played at a lighter weight, so it’s also possible that his thinner frame could help him knock down threes more consistently as well.
Defense
When it comes to his low-post defense, Rush’s numbers also demonstrate that Jokic doesn’t throw around his weight as much as one thinks to succeed in this area. In addition, he makes a great point about how scoring off of post-ups is becoming increasingly unpopular as the league continues to shift to perimeter play.
Sure, there are players like Joel Embiid that could become a nuisance down low but most of the centers that will be traveling to Orlando aren’t great low-post players. The vast majority of them are better at scoring off of rolls to the basket, meaning that Jokic’s pick-and-roll defense is of more importance than his low-post defense.
When considering his play in the pick-and-roll — which is actually much better than many believe it to be due to Jokic’s basketball IQ and use of his hands — being able to move more quickly will help him cover ground between the ball-handler and roll man. It’ll also help him keep up with both players. To that point, when thinking about Jokic defending on the perimeter, Jokic also fares a much better chance there as well.
Verdict
My belief is that Jokic will be the best version of himself while playing at a lighter weight, even if it takes a bit of time for him and those watching to get used to. An additional benefit of playing at a lighter weight is that if he continues to rock a slim frame, it could elongate his playing career, as there’s plenty of anecdotal evidence that shedding pounds has helped players extend their playing days.
The only question is whether the nickname Big Honey will stick? He still has a sweet moves in his repertoire but he’s definitely not that chubby kid from Serbia anymore.