NBA Trade Rumors: Could Nikola Jokic Ever Really Land With the Lakers, Celtics or Warriors in the Future?

The idea of Nikola Jokic ever leaving the Denver Nuggets remains, by most accounts, far-fetched. But four years ago the notion of Giannis Antetokounmpo eventually leaving Milwaukee seemed just as unlikely, and only two years ago few would have predicted Jaylen Brown's departure from Boston. With Jokic's approach to his own contract extension moving unusually slowly, speculation about his long-term future has quietly begun to build in NBA circles.

Jokic became eligible this summer to sign a contract extension with Denver, but has chosen to wait until next year instead, a decision that has started to generate some unease among Nuggets fans and local media. "Oh man. People [in Denver] would freak out. Are you talking a whole year without him signing an extension? Oh my God," Altitude 92.5 FM radio host Darren McKee said while discussing the situation with Nuggets reporter Katy Winge. "We would be losing our minds."

Part of what makes Jokic's situation worth monitoring, according to analysts, is Denver's unconventional front-office structure. The Nuggets do not employ a traditional general manager, instead operating with a collaborative leadership setup in which Ben Tenzer serves as executive vice president of basketball operations and Jonathan Wallace serves as executive vice president of player personnel. Some observers have noted that this shared structure means no single individual would bear direct accountability if the organization were to trade a franchise cornerstone like Jokic and the decision later proved costly, a dynamic that theoretically could make bold moves easier to consider than in front offices built around a single decision-maker.

Should Jokic ever become available on the trade market, the Los Angeles Lakers would likely be among the first teams to inquire, given Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka's history of pursuing marquee talent. Much of the speculation tying Jokic to Los Angeles centers on his relationship with Lakers star Luka Doncic, with the two players having previously expressed interest in playing together. In a viral video interview conducted by Klemen Kopina earlier this week, Doncic was asked who his dream partner would be for a game of two-on-two basketball, and he chose Jokic over a list of stars that included Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Victor Wembanyama, Kevin Durant, Shaquille O'Neal, Magic Johnson, Giannis Antetokounmpo and LeBron James. Despite that connection, the Lakers currently have limited trade assets to offer Denver, holding zero tradable first-round picks over the next seven years following their recent acquisition of center Walker Kessler.

Boston has also emerged in speculative Jokic conversations, driven largely by organizational pressure following the team's widely criticized trade of Jaylen Brown to the rival Philadelphia 76ers. Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens and new team owner Bill Chisholm have faced scrutiny since that deal, though the trade did net Boston two future first-round draft picks to go along with the team's own complete slate of future first-round selections. That draft capital could position Stevens to pursue significant future trades, and Chisholm has signaled a clear willingness to spend aggressively to build a contender. "The mandate [I have given Stevens] is to win," Chisholm said at a press conference addressing the Brown trade. "We'll spend whatever it takes to do that. The mandate is to win."

The Golden State Warriors represent a third team frequently mentioned in speculative Jokic discussions, largely tied to the team's urgency to win another championship while 38-year-old Stephen Curry remains on the roster. Golden State was eliminated in the Play-In Tournament by Phoenix this past spring, and league observers believe that if the Warriors miss out on signing free agent LeBron James this summer and again struggle next season, general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. could be motivated to pursue a major trade the following offseason. While Dunleavy has generally been reluctant to part with Golden State's own future first-round picks in trade discussions, those picks are expected to hold significant value into the early 2030s, particularly once Curry has retired and the Warriors enter a rebuilding phase, potentially giving the team meaningful trade currency to offer Denver for a player of Jokic's caliber.

Despite the speculation surrounding all three teams, most signs continue to point toward Jokic remaining with Denver for the long term. Aside from Curry, few players in the league are viewed as more likely to spend their entire career with a single franchise than Jokic. "Jokic has said time and time again that he wants to be [in Denver]," Winge said on Altitude 92.5 FM. "For all that we know and all that we've seen, the relationship between Nikola Jokic and the front office is as solid as it gets. [The front office] wants him here for as long as humanly possible. They're going to do whatever it takes to make him happiest."

Jokic's own comments have reinforced that sentiment. Following Serbia's recent win over Bosnia and Herzegovina in FIBA World Cup qualifying play, Jokic told reporters that his plan is to sign a new extension with Denver next summer and remain with the franchise for the rest of his career, a comment that appeared to directly address any concern stemming from his decision to delay this year's extension window.

Jokic, a three-time NBA MVP who led the Nuggets to the 2023 championship and Finals MVP honors, remains under contract for one additional season at $59 million, with a $62.8 million player option for the 2027-28 campaign. His decision to wait until next summer to sign a new extension, rather than immediately, appears tied to standard financial considerations under the league's collective bargaining rules governing veteran contract extensions, rather than any indication of dissatisfaction with the organization.

With Jokic's own public comments continuing to affirm his desire to stay in Denver, and with the Nuggets' front office reportedly committed to keeping him there for as long as possible, the speculative trade scenarios involving the Lakers, Celtics and Warriors remain largely theoretical for now. Still, given how quickly the NBA landscape can shift, as recent departures involving Antetokounmpo and Brown have demonstrated, some in Denver appear to be watching Jokic's contract timeline closely as the coming year unfolds.