Both the Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets are hoping to have a splashy offseason, but the latest news surrounding the Nuggets could forever change both franchises. According to NBA insder Mark Stein (subscription required), Nuggets star Nikola Jokic is unlikely to sign a max extension this summer.
That means that he could become a free agent after next season, and the Lakers would certainly be interested in him if that were the case. Ironically, that news could dramatically impact their offseason plans.
While they have $52 million in cap space this summer, they won’t have any next summer if they sign players to multi-year deals. That means they’d only be able to land Jokic via a sign and trade.
The Lakers have to keep the door open to sign Nikola Jokic
That puts the Lakers in a bit of a bind. They likely can’t go all out signing players this summer if the possibility remains that Jokic could be available next summer. Or they could use Austin Reaves as a centerpiece of a sign-and-trade with the Nuggets—if Jokic wanted to join the Lakers next summer.
Even if Denver isn’t willing to take back Reaves, he could be traded to another team for assets that could be flipped to Denver.
In the meantime, the Lakers should be looking to improve their roster while maintaining flexibility for next summer. That can be a tricky balance, but they have done a fantastic job at that in the past.
The Lakers have an ace up their sleeve in Jokic sweepstakes
Signing players to value contracts and holding firm by not offering multi-year deals is their best way to stay in the hunt for Jokic. It’s also important to note that Lakers star Luka Doncic is close friends with Jokic.
That gives Los Angeles a leg up in pursuing the three-time league MVP. It also potentially spells trouble for Denver, who looks like they’re reaching the end of their run.
Perhaps Jokic is simply putting pressure on the Nuggets to make big moves, including potentially acquiring Boston Celtics star Jalen Brown. However, if they can’t, the Lakers loom as a possibility to steal Jokic away next off-season.