The reason is simple, the long-term outlook in Denver is grim.
Last season and this season were both lost when Jamal Murray tore his ACL last April.
As a result, two of Nikola Jokic’s prime seasons will end with early playoff exits.
To make matters worse, the ticking timebomb which is Michael Porter Jr.’s back, just went off, so next season is also at risk.
Both players are signed to long-term contracts that pay each of them over $30M per season.
Even if Murray is able to regain his old form next season, Jokic’s contract year, there is no way he is going to bet on MPJ staying healthy and productive for the next 4 seasons of his rookie extension.
That means Jokic would have to leave Denver if he wants to compete for championships.
When you look at all the destination franchises: Lakers, Clippers, Golden State, New York, Brooklyn, Chicago, Boston, and Miami.
All the West Coast teams and the Brooklyn Nets won’t have the cap space to sign another star.
That then leaves 3 teams, Boston, Chicago, and New York.
NY Knicks</a>‘ front office that might be considering relocating to NYC.</p>
<p>This player won’t be a free agent until the summer of 2023, but all signs are pointing to a possible departure.</p>
<p>Let me be the first person to predict that <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/01/21/ny-knicks-joker-comes-gotham/2/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/j/jokicni01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">Nikola Jokic</a>, last season’s MVP will be leaving Denver.</p>
<p>The only question is; to where?</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #007BC1" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/01/21/ny-knicks-joker-comes-gotham/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Denver is Dead </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-123420" src=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/01/21/ny-knicks-joker-comes-gotham/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2133,w_3200/https%3A%2F%2Fdailyknicks.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1363187455.jpeg" alt="NY Knicks, Nikola Jokic" width="3200" height="2133" srcset="https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1363187455.jpeg 3200w, https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1363187455-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><p class="wp-caption-text">NY Knicks, Nikola Jokic (Photo by C. Morgan Engel/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>Should Nikola Jokic return to Denver?</h2>
<p>The reason is simple, the long-term outlook in Denver is grim.</p>
<p>Last season and this season were both lost when Jamal Murray tore his ACL last April.</p>
<p>As a result, two of Nikola Jokic’s prime seasons will end with early playoff exits.</p>
<div class="embed embed-video"><iframe loading="lazy" width="500" height="281" src=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/01/21/ny-knicks-joker-comes-gotham/2/"https://www.youtube.com/embed/rpwW5LGOJQw?feature=oembed%22 frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<p>To make matters worse, the ticking timebomb which is Michael Porter Jr.’s back, just went off, so next season is also at risk.</p>
<p>Both players are signed to long-term contracts that pay each of them over $30M per season.</p>
<p><a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/01/21/ny-knicks-joker-comes-gotham/2/"https://www.spotrac.com/nba/denver-nuggets/jamal-murray-20212/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Murray is signed through 2025</a>, and Porter (MPJ) through 2027.</p>
<p>Even if Murray is able to regain his old form next season, Jokic’s contract year, there is no way he is going to bet on MPJ staying healthy and productive for the next 4 seasons of his rookie extension.</p>
<p>That means Jokic would have to leave Denver if he wants to compete for championships.</p>
<p>When you look at all the destination franchises: Lakers, Clippers, Golden State, New York, Brooklyn, Chicago, Boston, and Miami.</p>
<p>All the West Coast teams and the Brooklyn Nets won’t have the cap space to sign another star.</p>
<p>That then leaves 3 teams, Boston, Chicago, and New York.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #007BC1" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/01/21/ny-knicks-joker-comes-gotham/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> The Boston Celtics need a big man </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-115370" src=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/01/21/ny-knicks-joker-comes-gotham/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1067,w_1600/https%3A%2F%2Fdailyknicks.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1184736462.jpeg" alt="New York Knicks" width="1600" height="1067" srcset="https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1184736462.jpeg 1600w, https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1184736462-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:1600px;">Jaylen Brown, New York Knicks. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>Would Nikola Jokic think twice about Boston?</h2>
<p>Boston might seem like a good fit, as they have two young star wings; Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.</p>
<p>While that might look good on paper, it is not a good fit.</p>
<p>Tatum and Brown haven’t figured out how to play together despite being teammates for 4 seasons.</p>
<p>That is why there has been <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/01/21/ny-knicks-joker-comes-gotham/2/"https://dailyknicks.com/2021/06/12/three-reasons-why-the-new-york-knicks-should-trade-for-jaylen-brown/">talk of splitting them up</a>.</p>
<p>So I don’t see Jokic, a league MVP, wanting to go to a situation where he would have to defer to lesser players.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #007BC1" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/01/21/ny-knicks-joker-comes-gotham/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> The Chicago Bulls will charge at Jokic </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-116016" src=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/01/21/ny-knicks-joker-comes-gotham/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1060,w_1600/https%3A%2F%2Fdailyknicks.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1305539116.jpeg" alt="Zach LaVine, NY Knicks" width="1600" height="1060" srcset="https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1305539116.jpeg 1600w, https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1305539116-768x509.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:1600px;">Zach LaVine, NY Knicks (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>Is Chicago a realistic landing spot for Nikola Jokic?</h2>
<p>This might seem like the obvious landing spot for Jokic.</p>
<p>Chicago is a large market team that is run by the man that drafted him, Arturas Karnisovas.</p>
<p>He would also be replacing the other Nikola that plays Center, Nikola Vucevic, who will also become a free agent in 2023.</p>
<p>The <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/01/21/ny-knicks-joker-comes-gotham/2/"https://www.spotrac.com/nba/chicago-bulls/nikola-vucevic-8067/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">last year of his contract pays him $22M</a>, so it won’t be hard for the Bulls to free up more cap space to sign Jokic.</p>
<p>If Zach LaVine re-signs this offseason, which is expected, then the Bulls would be an attractive landing spot.</p>
<p>They would have LaVine, who will still be in his prime at 28 years old.</p>
<p>Lonzo Ball will be on the last year of his deal.</p>
<p>Their two lottery picks, Coby White and Patrick Williams will be young vets by 2023.</p>
<p>The only question is DeMar DeRozan, who will be 34 years old by the start of the 2023-24 season, but it will also be the last year of his deal.</p>
<p>So Chicago will be an enticing situation for Jokic.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #007BC1" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/01/21/ny-knicks-joker-comes-gotham/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Why not the New York Knicks? </a>
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<a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/01/21/ny-knicks-joker-comes-gotham/2/"https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/imagn-images/2017/07/15580457-1.jpeg">
!["RJ](https://dailyknicks.com/2022/01/21/ny-knicks-joker-comes-gotham/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2135,w_3200/https%3A%2F%2Fdailyknicks.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fimagn-images%2F2017%2F07%2F15580457-1.jpeg")
<span class="call_to_action">Next:</span> The next 4 potential Knicks trade targets </a> </div>
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