The Los Angeles Lakers are the betting favorites to land three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokić if he leaves the Denver Nuggets.
Bovada sports betting odds have the Lakers as +310 favorites to become Jokic’s next team if he and the Nuggets part ways.
The New York Knicks (+410) have the second-best odds. A distant third are the Boston Celtics (+800). Rounding up the top five betting favorites are the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors, tied at +900, the Miami Heat (+1100) and the Los Angeles Clippers (+1200).
Completing Bovada’s betting list for Jokić’s next possible team are the Dallas Mavericks (+1400), Charlotte Hornets (+4500) and the Utah Jazz (+5000).
Jokić was blunt in his assessment of the Nuggets whether they can still contend for the title with their current core.
“I mean, we didn’t, so [we] obviously can’t,” Jokić told reporters after their second-round loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder that went the distance. “If we could, we would win it. I don’t believe in those ‘If, if,’ stuff. We had the opportunity; we didn’t win, so I think we can’t.”
According to Bleacher Report’s salary cap expert Eric Pincus, Jokić is extension-eligible this offseason. He could add three years a three-year max worth $212.2 million if he declines his player option. But Pincus noted that the Nuggets star could also wait until the summer of 2026 for a four-year,$293.4 million max extension.
European Connection
Jokić and the Lakers new star Luka Dončić are close friends.
The Nuggets star was among the first NBA players who reached out to Dončić when the Dallas Mavericks shockingly traded him to the Lakers.
“I texted him,” Jokić told reporters on Feb. 4. “He felt it, of course. I think he didn’t expect it, of course. I think he just needs to be with family right now, it’s a big move. It’s a business, I don’t know. I think nobody expected it, especially him. I think nobody is safe in the league. But I think he’s going to do a good job. I think he’s the player for a big scene, even though I thought in Dallas he had something special going.”
The Lakers need a center. While Jokić would be a match made in heaven for Dončić, the Lakers do not have the draft capital to compete in a bidding war should the three-time MVP becomes available.
The most they could offer is Austin Reaves, their 2031 first-round pick and five pick swaps, plus salary fillers and nothing else.
Lakers Looking for Center
After their lack of size kept the Lakers from advancing past the first round, addressing that will be a top priority for the newly promoted team president Rob Pelinka.
“This offseason, one of our primary goals is gonna be to add size in our frontcourt at the center position, and that’s just gonna be a part of the equation,” Pelinka said.
“We have multiple free agents, too. Obviously, those questions will be answered in July and in August, but we know we have a lot of work to do on the roster. It’ll look different next year for sure.”
So, what exactly is Pelinka looking for in the next Lakers starting center after the team rescinded the Mark Williams trade at the deadline?
“In terms of center traits, it would be great to have a center that was a vertical threat, a lob threat, and someone who can protect the interior defensively. I think those would be keys,” he said.
“But there are multiple types of centers that could be effective in the league. There are also spread centers that can protect the rim. We’ll look at those as well. So I wouldn’t want to limit the archetype, but we know we need a big man.”
