Have you seen Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic lately?
The All-Star big man has often been rather laissez-faire when it has come to his playing weight, which has typically hovered between 275 to 300 pounds. But Jokic clearly felt the need to make a physical change during the NBA's three-month hiatus.
“Joker” has dropped a ton of weight, looking practically unrecognizable when compared to his old frame.
Jokic is living out the opposite of the 'My Plans/2020' Meme. pic.twitter.com/I0IsmQJ5lp
— theScore (@theScore) June 11, 2020
It truly is a remarkable transformation, and Jokic deserves a ton of credit for dedicating himself to the process.
At the same time, such a big change brings with it a big question: how will the weight loss impact Jokic's game on the court?
Jokic was already one of the more skilled bigs in the NBA before shedding some serious pounds. There is reason to believe he could be even more impactful at this weight, particularly if his conditioning has also improved.
In fact, there is reason to believe “Skinny Jokic” could be a game-changer for the Nuggets as they prepare to head to Orlando for the resumption of play.
Does leaner equal faster and more agile?
One of the things that makes Nikola Jokic unique is his ability to orchestrate the offense, especially in transition.
The 25-year-old can grab a rebound at one end, dribble the length of the floor, then either make a play for himself or set up one of his teammates for a scoring opportunity.
Jokic already excelled in the open court even when he had a burlier figure. If he is that much leaner, how dangerous might he be with the ball in his hands?
It is fair to wonder whether Jokic can start beating opposing guards and forwards down the floor in transition, even when he doesn't have the ball.
Should he develop an ability as a “rim runner” of sorts, he could unlock a whole new element to Denver's offense. Guards like Jamal Murray and Will Barton can look to get out and start breaks more frequently, and Mike Malone might be slightly less determined to operate strictly out of the half court.
The Nuggets have tremendous athletes. Between Barton, Gary Harris, Jerami Grant and others, they might be that much more dangerous playing at a quicker pace.
A slimmer Jokic might indeed be able to play heavier minutes at this kind of pace, which would offer different looks for opponents.
Less physical, but better footwork?
One of Nikola Jokic's strengths was his body control. He knew how to use his physicality to carve out space in the post and bully his way to the cup.
But now that Jokic has lost all this weight, has he also lost this physicality?
It is certainly possible Jokic will have to change his game a bit: less back-to-basket post touches, more face-ups. However, Jokic boasts excellent footwork. If he is indeed quicker and more agile, he should still find ways to score and even be a better playmaker off the dribble.
The other element to this is the potential for improvement on the defensive end of the floor. Jokic has always been a decent defender, though he is not a shot-blocking playmaker like some of his peers.
However, increased speed and agility could change matters significantly. Jokic might be that much more valuable as a help defender and rim protector, particularly if he can cover more ground.
Verdict
Basically, we have no idea how Nikola Jokic's weight loss will translate to his game on the court.
However, the possibilities for the kind of player he could be makes “Skinny Jokic” a guy with the potential to swing a playoff series for the Nuggets.
Because he can shoot from the perimeter, defenders have to respect his jumper, as well as his abilities as a distributor from the point.
But what if Jokic starts routinely beating people off the dribble, given his ball-handling abilities? How dangerous will he be as a scorer and playmaker then?
Will potentially improved footwork make him that much more well-rounded as an individual defender.
Fans might worry he has sacrificed too much physicality, but remember: he is still a 7-footer with one of the highest basketball IQs in the game.
One thing is for sure: this new version of “Joker” figures to provide plenty of intrigue.
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