Nikola Jokic – Denver Nuggets

Not only is Nikola Jokic one of the best centers in the entire NBA, but he is one of the best all-around playmakers. During the 2019-20 season last year, Jokic averaged 19.9 points, 9.7 rebounds, 7.0 assists, and shot 52.8% from the floor. He also finished tied for second in the league for most triple-doubles during the season with 13, only trailing Luka Doncic who had 17 triple-doubles.

Jokic is the ultimate big man playmaker, but the best part about James Harden potentially joining up with him is that Denver does not have a solidified number one option. Sometimes it is Jamal Murray, other times it is Jokic, but the Serbian big man is better off as a facilitator and all-around playmaker. He is not a guy like Harden who can score in bunches, which is exactly why Harden should want to play with him.

Not only would he get a fresh start in Denver for a chance to win a title, but he gets to continue being the scorer he was with the Rockets. Honestly, if Harden was to join Jokic on the Nuggets, he would probably still average over 30 points per game because of how good Jokic is as a passer.

Denver plays a lot of “two-man action” with Murray and Jokic near the three-point line, but throwing in Harden to this style of play could end up being extremely lethal. Harden doesn’t need virtually any space to knock down a three-pointer and with the space that would be provided to him with Jokic in numerous pick-and-roll sets, the former league MVP would be raining down three-point shots like it is nothing.

Not to mention, Denver’s best chance to win a title is with James Harden on their roster. They just made the Western Conference Finals last season and while they definitely deserved to be there because of their efforts in the playoffs to come back down 3-1 in two different series, this team really is not a championship caliber team when you look at it from a big picture standpoint. 

Mike Malone is a fantastic coach and both Jokic and Murray are great players, but they just do not have the firepower and All-Star talent like the Lakers or Bucks do to be able to compete with the best of the best when it matters most. That is why the Nuggets need Harden and why Harden needs to play with Jokic.

The versatile big man is truly the best player in the league that Harden could team up with and should want to team up with given what Jokic could do for him. Harden’s best chance to win a ring after being traded would be if he was traded to Denver and teamed up with “The Joker.”