Nuggets fans have understandably been focused on the present and the team’s intense playoff battle with the Oklahoma City Thunder. At the same time, as we’re watching Nikola Jokic struggle, with the players around him unable to step up in his stead, and a dearth of options for David Adelman to turn to off the bench, it’s hard not to think about the future of this roster.
It felt even more pressing on Monday night, watching the NBA Draft Lottery shake out, with teams holding their breath for the chance to draft Cooper Flagg or another elite prospect who could alter a franchise for many years to come.
But more than anything, it’s a reminder of just how grim the Nuggets’ situation is going forward. Their draft capital situation is as dire as any team in the NBA, as they don’t control their own first-round draft pick until 2031.
Obviously, that means they won’t be able to add another elite young prospect to the roster any time soon, but more than that, it means they don’t even have the assets to go acquire anything resembling a star player around the league.
We’ve already heard whispers about players like Kevin Durant, Zion Williamson, and maybe even Giannis Antetokounmpo who may be available on the trade market this summer, but it’s hard to imagine any of those players getting dealt without their current team receiving a handful of first-round picks in return.
At what point does Jokic start to think about leaving Denver?
We’ll see how these playoffs finish up, but win or lose, it’s clear that Jokic is as worn down, frustrated, and helpless as he has ever been. Opposing teams are focusing on him like ever before, and his complementary players are lacking talent and consistency to carry more of the load for him.
It’s extremely evident that the Nuggets need to reshape the roster around Jokic this offseason, adding defense, shooting, depth, and straight-up talent across the board. But with no picks, that’s going to be very difficult.
Denver’s young players don’t have the star potential to be the centerpieces of big trades, and the ones who have progressed at all are vital to the rotation. The Nuggets have gone all in over the past few years to build this team up, and they have very little to show for it.
The cupboards are bare, and there’s a chance that even if they make a major trade and move one of their core players, they may not improve right away. For long-term rebuilding, that may be best, but that’s not an option with a 30-year-old Jokic in the prime of his career.
He needs to be on a team that can contend for championships, and right now, it’s hard to say that Denver can definitively offer that. Right now, this is another discussion for another time, as the team has more important business at hand.
But make no mistake about it, all eyes will turn to the future of Nikola Jokic in very short order, one way or another.