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Lakers are Favorites to Land Nikola Jokic After Nuggets Downfall

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Mar 14, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves (15) steals the ball away from Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) as center Christian Koloko (10) and guard Jordan Goodwin (30) defend in the fourth quarter at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

For the last several years, the Denver Nuggets had clarity. They had one of the best coaches in the league in Michael Malone, and a perennial MVP player in Nikola Jokic. Now that the Nuggets have fired their head coach, rumors began about the future of the Joker. Can the Lakers land him?

Lakers Are Favorites to Land Nikola Jokic After Nuggets Downfall

According to the online betting website Bovada, the Lakers are the favorite to be Nikola Jokic’s next team. Here is a fun fact: only one of the three favorites plays in the NBA. The Lakers, at +500 are the favorite to land the three-time MVP, followed by KK Mega Basket at +600 and KK Joker at +800. The Raptors at +1000 are another option, followed by Clippers, Warriors, and Thunder.

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But how much of this is a dream scenario by Lakers fans, and how much of it is reality? For the sake of argument, let’s see whether the Lakers can land the Joker.

Can the Lakers Sign Nikola Jokic?

The three-time MVP has a player option for the 2027-28 season. After this season, he is under contract for two more years before he has an option to opt out of his contract. Under the current construction, the Lakers have only $22 million in salary for the 2027-28 season, meaning that if Jokic opts out of his contract at that point, they can outright sign him. Even considering contract extensions for Luka Doncic, the Lakers can be a player in 2027 free agency. But that is two years away, and if the Nuggets fail again in the playoffs, things might heat up quickly.

Can the Lakers Trade for the Joker?

After winning the title in 2023, the Nuggets underachieved last year, losing in seven games in the Conference Semifinals to the Minnesota Timberwolves. A few weeks ago, they were fighting for the second and third spot in the Western Conference. But they have gone 6-9 since March 10. They are currently on a four-game losing streak and might end up in the play-in instead of the playoffs.

If the Nuggets underachieve this season as well, there will be rumblings about the Joker’s future. Of course, he has never shown any sign of wanting to leave Denver. But his close relationship with Michael Malone will be a huge test. Will he ask for a trade? Or can a team overwhelm the Nuggets with an offer?

In a hypothetical trade scenario with the Lakers, Los Angeles does not have many assets to offer. Their dream pairing of Luka and Jokic is not an easy task to accomplish.

With the current payroll, the Lakers will be a team under the first apron next season. That will make any trade easier because they can receive more money than they send.

For argument sake, they can compile a package of Austin Reaves, Dalton Knecht, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Rui Hachimura, plus three-first round picks. They have their 2026 and 2028 first-round picks and owe a swap to Charlotte for the 2030 pick, but teams have found creative ways to trade swaps.

The problem with any scenario is that the Nuggets do not have their own picks to go into a full rebuild post-Jokic. For now, the Lakers will remain the betting favorite to land the Joker. But that might be more of a pipe dream than a realistic scenario. Of course, unless the Nuggets hire Nico Harrison as their next GM.

© Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

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