Nuggets’ Efforts to Help Nikola Jokic Might Not Be Enough

Without debate, Nikola Jokic already stands atop the Mount Olympus of Denver Nuggets history—a three-time MVP, a Finals MVP, and the general of a 2023 team that went on a 16-4 run in the playoffs, bringing an NBA championship to the Mile High City for the first time.

The Joker is the kind of player a franchise would sell its soul for. So the big question is this: Has Denver given the world’s best player the support he needs?

Jokic’s dominance has hidden many of Denver’s flaws. He can draw three defenders and still turn the impossible into the routine. No one dishes the ball with his vision, and no one piles up triple-doubles at his pace.

He shoulders the lion’s share of the team’s weight, but when the expectation is that he carries them alone, the weight grows nearly unbearable come May and June.

May 18, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) watches Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander shoot free throws in the second half of game seven of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

There's been a lot of talk this summer that Denver has finally addressed its depth problems. Admittedly, I was making my way over to the bandwagon, but after two lackluster preseason games from the bench, I’m slowly stepping back.

Everyone knows that Jamal Murray is a dynamic player who has deserved an all-star nod both before and after his ACL injury in 2021 but he struggles to stay consistently healthy deep into the season. Will this season be different?

Michael Porter Jr. was about as consistent as a Denver area weather report but will the addition of Cameron Johnson and Tim Hardaway Jr. be any better?

Jonas Valanciunus is a veteran who can rebound and set hard screens but can he be trusted enough to give Jokic the rest he needs?

Bruce Brown is a welcomed addition—and a familiar face at an affordable price—but according to him he hasn’t touched the ball much since he left the Rocky Mountains. So can he still be what Denver needs? And will Denver’s young bench players continue to be a liability?

These are troubling questions that need a serious response from the young role-players and veterans alike in order to make a legitimate run. And we haven’t even mentioned David Adelman. The man has been given a gift—essentially handed keys to the Rolls-Royce—and nobody knows if he’s ready to drive it.

Sep 29, 2025; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets player Nikola Jokic (15) takes questions during media day at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

From the outside looking in—and only two games into the preseason—it’s hard not to think that Denver could be wasting Jokic’s prime years and another shot or two at NBA glory.

While it’s clear that Jokic doesn’t need a second superstar to win it all, he does need depth. He needs players who can stay healthy and rise to the moment. He needs consistency. This franchise owes him that—and the fans rabidly crave it.

Jokic is a rare, generational talent and if the Nuggets can’t help him, we might witness another MVP-worthy season with an early exit.

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