Three-time MVP Nikola Jokic is already showing off in international play amid a trying offseason for the Nuggets.
When considering how fans and pundits alike talk about the Denver Nuggets over the past few days, it feels as though the sky is falling in the Mile High City. They lost rising star Peyton Watson in a sign-and-trade to the Cleveland Cavaliers and got back a distant first-round pick from the Cavs (2031) along with a 2032 second-rounder in return. But as long as Nikola Jokic is on the roster, the Nuggets’ floor as a team should be safe.
After all, Jokic is still arguably the best offensive engine in the NBA — an elite playmaker with the best scoring touch on the interior in today’s association. The Nuggets star, even though it is the offseason in the NBA, is showing off on the international level, representing Serbia in a friendly match against France on Thursday.
One particular play caught the attention of many on social media, as Jokic casually dropped an incredible dime that 99% of basketball players in the world would have difficulties pulling off.
this would be the best pass of 95% of NBA players’ careers but for Jokic it’s just another day at the office
— Tom Haberstroh (@tomhaberstroh) August 20, 2026
This kind of playmaking is what makes Jokic elevate his team regardless of the supporting cast around him. Even with a depleted Nuggets roster, they still won 47 games during the 2021-22 campaign and made it to the playoffs. The following year, with Jamal Murray back, Denver ended up winning it all.
There are plenty of fans who are counting the Nuggets out. They did lose to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of last year’s playoffs, and their roster seemed to get a whole lot worse. They lost Watson and crucial bench pieces such as Bruce Brown and Tim Hardaway Jr., and they expect bargain bin replacements like Lonnie Walker IV, Alpha Diallo, and Marvin Bagley III to hold it down for them.
But Denver simply needs those players to lock in and play their role to the best of their abilities, as at the end of the day, the onus to lead the team falls on Jokic’s shoulders. And by the looks of it, he’s more than ready and capable of doing so from the get-go.
When considering how fans and pundits alike talk about the Denver Nuggets over the past few days, it feels as though the sky is falling in the Mile High City. They lost rising star Peyton Watson in a sign-and-trade to the Cleveland Cavaliers and got back a distant first-round pick from the Cavs (2031) along with a 2032 second-rounder in return.