What Nikola Jokic's Latest Injury Update Could Mean for Nuggets

The Denver Nuggets have been without three-time MVP Nikola Jokic since he suffered a hyperextension in his left knee on December 29th. In 12 games without him, the Nuggets are 7-5, managing to stay afloat behind improved play from Jamal Murray, Peyton Watson, Tim Hardaway Jr., and other role players.

Of course, it does not help that Jonas Valanciunas, Christian Braun, and Cam Johnson are all also injured at the same time as Jokic, putting the Nuggets in a deeper hole. On Tuesday, head coach David Adelman gave updates on his injured players, but things are not improving for Jokic the way many fans hoped.

"Nikola's been the same way as Cam, just kind of up and down," Adelman said about his injury recovery.

🎙️ David Adelman on the Nuggets injuries

- Nikola Jokic "up and down"
- Cam Johnson hasn't played with contact
- Jonas Valanciunas has "looked good"
- When Valanciunas comes back he'll "most likely" be the starting center -- meaning Jokic would still be out pic.twitter.com/6qEHoA0WEl
— DNVR Nuggets (@DNVR_Nuggets) January 21, 2026

Valanciunas was also upgraded to questionable for Thursday's game against the Washington Wizards, meaning if he does not play in that game, he is at least nearing his return to action. Adelman mentioned how Valanciunas would be the starting center when he returns, which implies that he expects Jokic to still be sidelined longer than Valanciunas.

ESPN's Shams Charania has reported that Jokic is expected to return in late January, but is that still in the cards?

What Adelman's update means for Denver

If Jokic's recovery is "up and down," as Adelman says, then we will likely not see him play this month. As unfortunate as that is, the Nuggets know where their priorities lie. Jokic will not see the court until he is as close to 100 percent as possible, especially after the initial fear that his knee injury was much worse.

Nikola Jokic went down with an apparent leg injury vs. the Heat. pic.twitter.com/4kPf9HAOt8
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 30, 2025

There is plenty of reason to believe that Jokic will not return to action until after the All-Star break, which means he would also miss the 2026 NBA All-Star Game. As disappointing as that would be for many fans, Jokic and the Nuggets are much more concerned about keeping Jokic healthy for the postseason, and holding him out until late February could be the best option for them.

The downside? The Nuggets have the toughest remaining schedule in the NBA. The Nuggets have reason to want Jokic back on the court as soon as possible, especially after the team dropped their last two games, but the long-term outlook is far more important.

If the Nuggets can get Valanciunas, and potentially Johnson and Braun, back on the floor, it will make things much easier as they navigate their tough schedule with Jokic on the bench. Especially with how Murray has played without his co-star, the Nuggets remain in safe hands as the three-time MVP takes his time getting healthy.

If Jokic does not return until after the All-Star break, that would put his first game back on February 19th against the LA Clippers, as part of a back-to-back series with a Portland Trail Blazers matchup the next night. Of course, there is no guarantee that Jokic waits that long to return, but with this team focused on competing for a championship, keeping him sidelined a bit longer is not the end of the world.

What Adelman's update means for Denver

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