A Nikola Jokic Lineup Experiment Could Save the Nuggets Next Season

The Denver Nuggets could have one way to make the most of Nikola Jokic next season.

Mar 25, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) in the second quarter against the Dallas Mavericks at Ball Arena. | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Three-time MVP Nikola Jokic is the best center in the NBA, but could he thrive in a different position? This season, we saw Denver Nuggets head coach David Adelman experiment a bit with Jokic, slotting him alongside Jonas Valanciunas in a two-center lineup, and it was surprisingly successful.

Unfortunately, we did not get a huge sample size of this double-big lineup, but the stats show it worked when the Nuggets had both Jokic and Valanciunas on the floor. In 43 minutes, the Nuggets had a +19.8 net rating when they shared the court, per databallr.

If the Nuggets had some success when Jokic shared the floor with Valanciunas, why not take the experiment further next season?

Should the Nuggets play more two-big lineups?

Nov 8, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets center Jonas Valanciunas (17) subs out center Nikola Jokic (15) in the second half against the Indiana Pacers at Ball Arena. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

It is clear that Jokic can get his work done from anywhere on the floor and in any position, so this question is more based on who they can put alongside him in the frontcourt. While the duo of Jokic and Aaron Gordon has been successful, the Nuggets could be best when Jokic is next to a rim protector.

Similar to what we have seen when Karl-Anthony Towns has played alongside Ruby Gobert or Mitchell Robinson, Jokic's defensive lapses would be far less noticeable with a true defensive anchor behind him.

We continue to see some of the best teams in the NBA thrive with two-big lineups. The Oklahoma City Thunder just beat the San Antonio Spurs in Game 2 of the WCF, largely due to their frontcourt of Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein. The Cleveland Cavaliers are battling in the ECF right now with Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen in their frontcourt. Obviously, something is working for those teams.

Two bigs is routinely better than one big. Houston figured that out by surrounding Alperen Sengun with another big body. The Cavs have been a wins machine with Allen and Mobley. OKC reaches their highest heights with both Chet and Hartenstein. Minnesota was a legit title team… pic.twitter.com/8muBCPDlCF

— Sheldon Wohlman | Utility Sports (@_utilitysports) May 11, 2026

Obviously, Valanciunas is not much of a rim protector or defensive force, so we still have not seen much of this combination. With Valanciunas likely on the move this offseason, the Nuggets could target a more defensive-minded center, ideally one who can stretch and shoot the three-ball to help keep the floor spaced on offense.

Some options that immediately come to mind are Jay Huff, Kel'El Ware, Onyeka Okongwu, and Brook Lopez. Similar to Valanciunas' role, the Nuggets should be looking for a backup center of this archetype, so they can continue to experiment with the two-big lineup without fully committing to the idea.

We likely would have seen more of the Jokic-Valanciunas lineup if it were not for injuries throughout the season. Adelman would also likely be more open to the idea if he had a better fit than Valanciunas as his backup center. Getting a versatile big man who can defend the paint would undoubtedly elevate this Denver team.

The Nuggets' top priority this offseason should already be improving their defense, and if they can do so by bringing in a defensive-minded big man, it would be ideal. Jokic is already at the height of his career, but the Nuggets can find ways to make him even more impactful by surrounding him with the right players.

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