Sunday saw the Denver Nuggets’ 2024-25 season come to a halting end. The first-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder ousted Nikola Jokić and the team in the Western Conference Semifinals, 125-93 in Game 7.
While many still had faith in the dynasty the Nuggets had been trying to build since their 2023 Championship, it seems like Jokic has lost it. Following the post-season exit, the three-time MVP believes the Nuggets aren’t on the right trajectory.
Nikola Jokić Keeping It Real on Nuggets’ Future Chances
After wrapping up yet another MVP-caliber season, Jokic spoke with the media about whether the Nuggets still had a chance at winning a championship in the future. In his response, he was honest, blunt, and did not shy away from showing his frustration.
“We didn’t, so obviously we can’t,” Jokic said. “If we could, we would win it. I don’t believe in those if stuffs. We had an opportunity. We didn’t win it.”
Jokic is probably looking at the success of OKC and T-Wolves, who are all going into conference finals, all thanks to their front offices’ prompt changes to their bench depth. On the Eastern side, the Knicks and the Pacers are also seeing success after making deep bench rotations in the months leading up to this season. Jokic probably feels the Nuggets could use a similar shake-up up too.
“We definitely need (more depth),” Jokic admitted. “It seems like the teams that have longer rotations, longer bench, are the ones who are winning. Indiana. OKC. Minnesota.”
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Unless there’s a trade, Denver will probably run it back as just Vlatko Čančar and DeAndre Jordan are hitting free agency this offseason. Russell Westbrook, with $3.4 million, and Dario Saric, with $5.4 million, come with player options for the 2025-26 season. As for the rest of the team, they’re all under contract for the next season.
Jokic wouldn’t want to settle for just one championship. Of course, the Denver front office will likely be busy this summer, helping to support the MVP with more support and talent this offseason.
Busy Days Are Coming for the Denver Nuggets Front Office
All the roaring and the handshakes came to a silence as the Nuggets rolled through the locker room, disappointingly on Sunday. The group worked as hard as they could, pushed their limits, yet lost. In the coming months, the organization is definitely going to tackle some pivotal decisions.
The Nuggets will need to hire a head coach, settle on a general manager, and restructure their core. They’ve recently fired their General Manager, Calvin Booth. Since then, the organization hasn’t moved ahead in its search for a new GM. Their interim GM, Ben Tenzer, does hold a chance to grab the job full-time.
As for the HC position, since firing Michael Malone later during the regular season, the interim HC, David Adelman, has a significantly stronger chance of making his position permanent. The team president, Josh Kroenke, wants to see Adelman take charge on the coaching front.
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As for the team, Michael Porter Jr. seems like the most tradeable asset this offseason. This will definitely shake up the core of the team to remain a championship contender.
With Jokic not looking like he’s going anywhere, Jamal Murray being the unlikeliest of all to make a move, and the team’s reliance so far on Russell Westbrook, the Nuggets have a lot to tackle this summer.
