The NBA offseason has featured several blockbuster moves that have reshaped the league. The Miami Heat acquired Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Brooklyn Nets landed Julius Randle, and the Philadelphia 76ers sent Paul George to the Boston Celtics in exchange for Jaylen Brown. While many of the league’s biggest stars changed teams, one proposed trade would send three-time MVP Nikola Jokić of the Nuggets to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

In this hypothetical proposal, Minnesota would send Rudy Gobert, Donte DiVincenzo, Joan Beringer, Terrence Shannon Jr., multiple first-round picks and a 2030 second-round pick to the Nuggets in exchange for Jokić.

The 31-year-old carries a $59 million cap hit for the 2026-27 season and holds a $62.8 million player option for the following year. Jokić has delayed extension talks until next summer, positioning himself to potentially sign a record-setting five-year supermax contract. Denver has limited salary-cap flexibility this offseason, restricting its ability to improve the roster around its franchise star. The Nuggets recently signed Marvin Bagley III to a one-year contract to add veteran depth in the frontcourt.

Denver would likely consider trading its franchise cornerstone only if Jokić refused to re-sign next summer, allowing the Nuggets to recoup significant assets rather than risk losing him for nothing.

Retaining Jokić long-term could require moving on from valuable veterans such as Aaron Gordon or Peyton Watson to create additional financial flexibility. Gordon is set to earn $33.6 million this season and has dealt with injuries throughout his career, making him a potential trade candidate.

Watson, meanwhile, is coming off a breakout 2025 campaign and is reportedly seeking an extension worth roughly $25 million annually. A new contract at that price would further increase Denver’s luxury-tax burden, making him another player the Nuggets could explore moving if they prioritize cap flexibility.

A core of Jokić, Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball would give the Timberwolves one of the NBA’s most talented trios. While acquiring a three-time MVP would come at a steep cost, the move could position Minnesota to contend for its first NBA championship.

All-star center Nikola Jokic made headlines after getting into a heated altercation with Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels.

With two seconds remaining in Game 4, McDaniels made an uncontested layup to make the score 112-96. This caused Jokic to rush toward McDaniels to confront him about the layup. Things turned south quickly after the Minnesota forward grabbed Jokic’s jersey, leading to an altercation between the two. The benches of both teams were also involved to break up the fight.

Jokic and Julius Randle were both ejected following the fight.

The Nuggets center didn’t regret his actions after Saturday’s game. “I don’t regret it,” Jokic remarked. “Because he scored after everybody stopped playing.” Nuggets coach David Adelman shared a similar viewpoint to his star center. “The game was over,” Adelman told reporters. “The game was conceded both ways. In 2026, that stuff just doesn’t happen anymore. That stuff happened in the 80s, where teams would continue to score.”

According to NBA rules, players who leave the bench are subject to an automatic suspension of at least one game. This gives the commissioner the final say in potential punishments.

McDaniels wasn’t ejected after the altercation, but he had a different perspective about what happened. “I don’t know what [Jokic] said, to be honest,” said McDaniels. “I just seen someone who was big as hell.” The forward also remarked that he would score if the clock was still running.

“I’m proud of the guys stepping up and fighting for each other, literally and figuratively,” said Timberwolves coach Chris Finch. “I mean, you play each other this many times when things are at stake, it’s just how it goes.”

Jokic dropped 24 points and grabbed 15 rebounds Saturday, while McDaniels scored 12 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Saturday’s victory puts Minnesota up 3-1 in the series, further putting them in a prime position to win the series if they win Game 5 Monday night.

After a devastating 32-point loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in game seven of the Western Conference semifinals, the Denver Nuggets have some tough decisions to make in the offseason.

Nikola Jokić remains one of the best players in the NBA, averaging 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds and 10.2 assists in the regular season. His dominant play, with help from core players like Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon and Christian Braun, has kept the Nuggets in playoff contention despite the firings of general manager Calvin Booth and head coach Michael Malone.

Despite the success of Jokić and the core players, they have several questions about the depth of the team and whether this roster can win them a championship. 

Injury and consistency concerns plague several of the other pieces in the Nuggets’ rotation. Michael Porter Jr. struggled against the Thunder but played through a shoulder injury. Porter’s lingering injury history and his fit within the rotation at a high price are a concern for the organization. Inconsistent play from players like Russell Westbrook and Peyton Watson can’t be relied on. 

“We definitely need it,” Jokić said during a press conference. “It seems like the teams that have longer rotations, longer bench, are the ones that are winning.” 

The Nuggets during their championship run in 2022-2023 had one of the best eight-man rotations in the NBA with current core members like Murray and Gordon, but also had key bench pieces like Bruce Brown and Jeff Green. 

After their championship season, both players left in free agency, which left a hole in the bench that the Nuggets have tried to repair with players like Watson and Zeke Nnaji, but have been unsuccessful. 

These roster moves can’t be answered until the Nuggets hire a new front office. Whether the Nuggets hire someone internally or not is a significant question, as the next leader of the Nuggets’ front office may not believe that the current core is capable of winning championships. As a result, certain players who are viewed as untouchable could be traded.