2017 Denver Nuggets Player Outlook: Nikola Jokic, Big Honey or The Joker?
The Denver Nuggets have built up an asset-rich team, and it starts with potential superstar Nikola Jokic, and we must look at how good he can become.
Nikola Jokic is going to be the next star of the Denver Nuggets. I mean, did you see him against the USA? How can anyone deny that the potential is there for him to be the next great NBA center.
His range, his length, his soft touch- Nikola Jokic has brought his always-developing, Serbian-balling self to the right team. The Denver Nuggets will be the team that should be able to unleash this beast at full capacity. That is right fans, this is the year of Big Honey.
After seeing his performance for Serbia this summer, it easy to see why. Any time a player can body Demarcus Cousins and win the big man match-up, it’s bound to raise some eyebrows. While the eye test is certainly promising, the analytics also show very promising potential.
With Jokic’s ever-evolving style of play, fans should expect to see Jokic to have an increased role within the offense.
Numbers Never Lie
Nikola Jokic showed great improvement with his play in the Olympics proving it. If one takes a look at his offensive stats, they would see the numbers are outstanding. Jokic boasts an effective field goal percentage of 53.3%.
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His player efficiency rating is 21.5 which is well above the league average of 15. Another thing that gets overlooked with Jokic is just how good of a re-bounder he has become in recent memory. Jokic holds a true rebound percentage of 17.9 which is comparable to Kenneth Faried’s career average of 18.1.
And if you were wondering, Jokic also has promise on the defensive end of the court.
While offense is certainly his bread and butter, Jokic possesses a block percentage of 2.3% and is hoping he can make more of an impact defensively this coming season.
With analytics like that coupled with the fact that he was able to shut down Draymond Green and Demarcus Cousins, two of the best big men in the NBA, the Nuggets should be excited for what he has in store.
An Increased Role
Coach Malone will increase Jokic’s role. Jokic’s role this year will be a solid stretch 4, who will be the team’s 2nd scoring option.
Look for him to especially make an impact on the perimeter by stretching opposing defenses to the 3 point line. Even if he plays the center for most of his minutes, he will see be able to greatly help the offensive by stretching the court.
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Gallinari will still be the one the offense is ran through. However; if the opposition decides to key in or double team him, then Jokic will be a great alternative to produce points. I also believe that the Joker will carry his confidence from winning the Silver medal into the season and look to facilitate the defense and create even more of an impact than he did the previous season.
One concept to not overlook is how effective he can be when playing with Jusuf Nurkic at the same time. They have proven to be successful with this lineup.
One game that sticks out in particular from last season was when the Nuggets defeated a talented Spurs team. Granted, this would mean that one of them would shift over to the center spot, but they proved that is more than doable. They did let the great Tim Duncan put up 21 points.
But, the Nuggets became the only team to beat both the Warriors and Spurs in the regular season last year.
Another front-court duo that the team may toy with is starting Arthur and Jokic. This would be intriguing since both players can knock down the jump-shot.
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With Jokic’s touch and range, teams would have to respect him and move out of the paint thus creating room for the perimeter players to drive and get easy opportunities at the rim.
One thing is for certain, Nikola Jokic will be a pivotal piece of the Denver Nuggets for the foreseeable future.
Mar 19, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) shoots the ball against Charlotte Hornets center Cody Zeller (40) in the second half at Time Warner Cable Arena. The Nuggets defeated the Hornets 101-93. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports
The Ceiling
Nikola Jokic may become the first Nuggets star since Billups and Anthony.
The only question is when he will hit this type of ceiling. With a solid head coach in Michael Malone and a nice young supporting cast around him, he may get there sooner than later.
While it is a stretch to say he will become an All-Star this year, it isn’t hard to envision him potentially taking home Most Improved Player of the Year honors within the next 4 years. With being more involved in the offense, looking for his shot more often, and improving a little bit defensively, Jokic can be a key leader in helping Denver compete for a playoff spot.
The entire NBA must take a lesson from this summer and realize the Nuggets won’t be slept on for long with a weapon like the Joker in their arsenal.