3 Olympic teammates we want to see Nikola Jokic pair up with again on the Nuggets
By Ben Handler
The 2024 Paris Olympic Games have come to an end and what an Olympics it was for Nuggets star Nikola Jokic and Serbia. Despite losing in the semifinals to the United States in basketball, Jokic and Serbia made fans around the world proud.
They came incredibly close to knocking off a loaded US team and followed it up by beating the reigning world champs, Germany for the bronze medal. Jokic and his countrymates were received like kings back home in Serbia, and rightfully so.
Even for Nuggets fans who get to witness Jokic’s greatness regularly, there was something special about seeing his passion and intensity, proudly leading his undermanned country against countless NBA superstars and future Hall-of-Famers.
In fact, it was hard to watch these games and not wonder what some of his Serbian teammates may look like alongside the Joker in Denver. There’s already great chemistry and camaraderie, and they just proved they can go head-to-head with the best of the NBA. So why wouldn’t the Nuggets look to add some of Jokic’s Olympic teammates?
Here are 3 of Jokic’s Serbian brothers and Olympic teammates who we’d love to see in Denver suiting up for the Nuggets, and how the team could realistically make it happen.
1.) Vasilije Micic - Guard, Charlotte Hornets
This is an idea that many (including myself) have toyed with well before the Olympics, but now it makes too much sense. Micic is 30 years old but just came over to the NBA last season. He was traded to the Hornets, but that rebuilding team has little use for Micic at this stage of his career and that team’s trajectory.
Micic would make for an excellent backup guard for the Nuggets; they could very much use his ballhandling and playmaking and his synergy with Jokic on a nightly basis would be incredible.
Micic is making $7.7 million this coming season, so his salary would line up very nicely with Zeke Nnaji’s. Nnaji would make more sense on a young Hornets team. They could afford to play the young big man and let him work through some growing pains.
Denver may have to throw in a second-round pick or another small asset to get the deal done, but this seems like a very reasonable move for both sides.