The Denver Nuggets squandered what seemed like a golden opportunity. The consensus was that this year’s roster was the best supporting cast Nikola Jokić had ever had in his career. As a result, the team felt like a legitimate contender in the Western Conference.
However, over six games, they were demolished by an injury-ravaged Minnesota Timberwolves. As a result, after the first-round exit, the three-time MVP gave the organization a harsh reality check about where they stood in the pecking order.
Nikola Jokić Doesn’t Mince Words About the Nuggets
Coming into the playoffs as the three-seed, the Nuggets had the perfect chance to enact revenge on the Timberwolves for their second-round loss two years ago. However, it turned out to be a different tape entirely.
After winning Game 1, they lost three straight. Jaden McDaniels called out the roster for its lack of defense, and his team proved it at every turn, winning two games without Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo.
There was very little to write home about Denver, which got subpar performances from virtually every player. Even Jokić was far from his usual standards, shooting under 40% in three consecutive games for just the second time in his career.
As a result, it seems like some major changes might be coming to the franchise, both on the sidelines and to the roster itself. While he didn’t outright demand a change, the seven-time All-NBA selection wasn’t shy about his team’s state.
“We just lost in the first round, I think we are far away,” he argued, before speaking on any potential changes. “That’s not my decision. Definitely, if we were in Serbia, we would all get fired.” However, even with his pessimism at the moment, Jokić was tied to the Nuggets.
Nikola Jokic: “We just lost in the first round. I think we are far away.”
Changes needed?
“That’s not my decision. Definitely, if we were in Serbia, we would all be fired.” pic.twitter.com/9JfZftejzt
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) May 1, 2026
When asked about his future specifically, he outright claimed, “I still want to be a Nugget forever.” That should dissipate any worries that the organization might have had about a potential looming extension in the offseason.
Nikola Jokic: “I still want to be a Nugget forever.” pic.twitter.com/m93ltVtPNc
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) May 1, 2026
But, at 31, the Serbian superstar isn’t getting any younger, and the front office needs to surround him with the right pieces to make another run for the Larry O’Brien trophy. Whether it is within the roster or in the coaching staff, it is hard to imagine the Nuggets trying to run it back with the same roster intact.
It remains to be seen what those changes look like, but it is going to be an uneasy summer in Denver after a humiliating first-round exit.
