The Los Angeles Lakers are experiencing turbulent times as their ownership situation remains unresolved. With Mark Walter out and Bob Iger/Josh Kushner in, the future carries an air of uncertainty that looms over the entire franchise.
Even so, the Lakers have not lost sight of the mission. When things have settled internally, they will reportedly begin the pursuit of their next big superstar. Specifically, they could look to the Denver Nuggets for a potential deal for superstar center Nikola Jokic.
“All I’ll say is if/when the Lakers get their ownership situation figured out, a lot of the organization’s eyes are going to be dead-set on Denver,” wrote NBA insider Anthony Irwin.
Jokic would be a dream addition for the Purple and Gold. As a three-time MVP and NBA champion, he has a resume that speaks for itself. Last season, in 65 games, he averaged 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds, 10.7 assists, 1.4 steals, and 0.8 blocks per game on 56.9% shooting from the field. As it stands, Jokic is, undoubtedly, one of the best big men in the game, and he would raise the Lakers’ ceiling tenfold.
While Jokic isn’t available at this time, he hasn’t signed a long-term extension with the Nuggets, and many speculate there’s a possibility he could leave in the not-too-distant future. He did state publicly that he plans to sign next summer, but that was before their latest offseason, which can only be described as a major disappointment.
“The Los Angeles Lakers would love to add Nikola Jokic to their roster, and the odds of landing him improved after the Denver Nuggets traded Peyton Watson to the Cleveland Cavaliers for virtually nothing,” wrote Tyler Watts. “Things are headed south in Denver, and Luka Doncic gives the Lakers a serious chance to steal the Joker if he ever decides to change teams.”
The Lakers don’t have much to offer in a trade for Jokic, but their situation might be better in the next offseason. They could center a deal around Walker Kessler or Austin Reaves, attaching what little draft assets they have. They could also potentially offer Cameron Carr to sweeten the deal. In the end, it might still not be enough for a superstar like Jokic, but the Lakers will keep trying as long as the possibility exists.
Together, Jokic and Doncic would form the best duo in basketball, defining a truly unstoppable offense. As longtime friends and European-born athletes, they already have a lot in common, and there’s already overlap with their fans. On paper, it makes a natural pairing, and the Lakers would not pass up the opportunity to test it in real life.
Unfortunately, they will likely never get the chance. As bad as things look in Denver (especially after the Watson trade), trading Jokic remains a last resort. It would take him directly asking out, or outright refusing his next extension, to force their hand and bring them to the negotiating table. So far, his loyalty has shown no signs of wavering, and next summer may very well settle the matter once and for all.
