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The Denver Nuggets just fired head coach Michael Malone and general manager Calvin Booth, and now fans across the NBA are wondering if Nikola Jokic could be traded. For Denver, a Jokic trade doesn't make a lot of sense. The best player in the NBA is in the running to win his fourth MVP this season because he is having the best year of his career. While more changes might be to come in Denver, it doesn't appear that Jokic will be going anywhere.
However, if there is a team that can offer a trade package that is so mind-blowing that the Nuggets have to consider it, it would be the Oklahoma City Thunder. Also, if Jokic were to shockingly request a trade, then Oklahoma City is the first team that Denver should call. The top seed in the Western Conference is stacked with young talent and draft capital, but what would it take to land Jokic?
Thunder trade proposal for Nikola Jokic
Thunder receive: Nikola Jokic
Nuggets receive: Isaiah Hartenstein, Aaron Wiggins, Ousmane Dieng, Nikola Topic, 2025 first-round pick (via Philadelphia), 2025 first-round pick (via Miami), 2026 first-round pick most favorable of Oklahoma City, Houston; if 6-30, and Los Angeles Clippers), 2027 first-round pick (via Denver), 2029 first-round pick (via Denver), 2029 first-round pick
The Thunder, who are 65-14, are going to finish 10-plus games above the next best team in the Western Conference. They executed the greatest rebuild in NBA history, and there is a good chance that they will win the NBA Finals this year because of it. Not only is the team set up well for a postseason run this year, but they have the depth, young talent, and controllable contracts to contend for years to come.
On top of that all, Oklahoma City still has a surplus of future draft picks that they acquired during their rebuild. They have so many picks that they can continue bringing in elite prospects on rookie contracts while still having picks to spare. They should use their draft capital to make a blockbuster trade for a star player. There is no better player to give a huge haul for than Jokic.
A Jokic deal would put the two MVP favorites on the same roster, as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is Jokic's competition for the award this year. The elite passing big man would also thrive on a team that prioritizes ball movement. The Thunder pull this hypothetical trade off without losing Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams, Jaylin Williams, Alex Caruso, Cason Wallace, Isaiah Joe, Dillon Jones, Lu Dort, or Kenrich Williams. This roster would not only be championship favorites, but it would be hard to bet against them being the greatest NBA team of all time.
A Nikola Jokic deal would put a Nuggets rebuild into hyperdrive
A Jokic trade is nightmare fuel for Nuggets fans, but if there is one trade that would prevent too much sleep loss, it would be a deal with the Thunder. In this trade, the Nuggets collect tons of young assets and draft picks, kicking off a rebuild that would look somewhat like what the Thunder did years ago.
The team would add six first-round picks in total. Two of those come in the 2025 NBA Draft, meaning the Nuggets can start plotting their new roster construction right away. The Nuggets also get two of their own first-round picks back in this deal, meaning they can tank freely if they so choose to.
When it comes to the players added in this, Denver walks away with four high-quality players. Isaiah Hartenstein, who was once a Nugget, actually does a lot of things that Jokic does well. He obviously isn't near the player Jokic is, but he is a great rebounder with solid touch inside and the ability to move the rock from the center position. Aaron Wiggins is one of the most underrated players in the NBA and could become a high-quality starter given a bigger role, and Ousmane Dieng is a recent lottery pick who has been unable to constantly crack the rotation in Oklahoma City.
With a change of scenery, Dieng could unlock his potential and become a really good player. Nikola Topic was a lottery pick as well. The 2024 draftee has missed all of his rookie season, but the sky is the limit for the point guard. A young Serbian named Nikola who has excellent passing skills and played for Mega Basket before being drafted has to be intriguing for the Nuggets, too.
Jokic is truly untradable, and no matter how much the Thunder can throw at the Nuggets, the team would be unlikely to trade their best player. Jokic is already one of the best NBA players ever. However, if there was a trade to be made, this is the only one that makes some sense for Denver.
