Is anyone surprised the Warriors think they have a shot at luring not just a superstar to the Bay, but Nikola Jokić? That's what NBA insider Jake Fischer said Thursday on SiriusXM NBA Radio, but Golden State is conveniently overlooking what he already said about his future with the Denver Nuggets.
He wants to be with the Nuggets forever, as in until it's time for him to retire and return to Serbia for good.
The Warriors can keep Jokić on their list of stars who can help them make a last-ditch effort to win another championship with Steph Curry, at least until he agrees to sign a new contract with the Nuggets next summer. His decision to wait another offseason will put him in a position to sign a five-year, $350 million deal.
He's not holding out to pressure Denver's front office to construct another title-winning roster around him. As Jokić said at media day, he's been "more than open" about his desire to stay exactly where he is, and that's not on the West Coast.
You can see why Golden State is holding onto the hope that he will change his mind and decide to team up with Curry. He's Nikola Jokić. If there's a one percent chance it could happen, that's all that opposing teams need. And the Warriors aren't the only ones. A line of suitors is waiting for their chance to swoop in.
Warriors have their eye on Nikola Jokic
Let's be real for a second. If Jokić changed his mind and wanted to go to a team with a better chance of competing for another title, the Warriors shouldn't be at the top of his list. They haven't been truly relevant in years, and while he'd give them a chance at reaching the level they've been desperate to return to, his presence wouldn't be enough. Yaxel Lendeborg doesn't move the needle that much.
Jokić would be better off avoiding the trouble of moving and staying where he is. He hasn't given the Nuggets any ultimatum about his future, so if the front office is willing to pay him the money he wants (and why wouldn't they be?), it's hard to see him going anywhere. Again, he wants to stay.
Denver can quiet speculation about Jokić's future by stringing together wins, climbing up the standings, and looking more like the contender it's supposed to be. However, even then, the vultures will still circle until his next deal becomes official.
We're still months away from that happening, though. Get used to hearing a lot more about how the Warriors and every other team with cap space to go after Jokić hope to make that dream a reality. Maybe it will, just in another lifetime.
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