The last thing the Denver Nuggets franchise would like to hear is regarding any possibilities of Nikola Jokic leaving the team. Following the team’s firing of head coach Michael Malone, rumors have begun to circulate about the Serbian superstar’s future with the team. The sudden firing raised many questions, some of which were answered by Aaron Gordon in an interview during the Playoffs.
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Jokic has had the privilege of playing under one head coach his entire career. Malone and Jokic developed a tight-knit relationship throughout the years. After the Nuggets won the 2023 NBA championship, Malone even visited Jokic in Serbia during the summer.
As a result, many people questioned if the unexpected firing would rub Jokic the wrong way. It isn’t in the three-time MVP’s nature to speak on internal issues. But some of his teammates are more lenient in providing clarity for the public.
Gordon sat down with CBS’s Ashley Nicole Moss for an interview. During their conversation, she brought up the topic revolving around Jokic’s future. He provided reassurance to Nuggets fans that everything will be okay.
“I don’t think Jokic is the type to want out,” Gordon said. “[Jokic] doesn’t want out, he wants in. He wants to go through it. I don’t think Denver has to worry about that.”
Gordon doubled down that Jokic’s loyalty is nothing Nuggets fans need to question. His commitment to the team is just as strong as it was before the team fired Malone. Their change in head coach doesn’t affect Jokic’s desire to be in Denver.
He went on to speak on Jokic’s will to endure the tough times. The seven-time All-Star wants to get things out of the mud and bring another championship to Denver. His emotion toward the franchise and the fans was evident in his performance in Game 1 against the Clippers. Jokic put forth a dominant performance, leading the way to a 15-point comeback win.
Following the game, he shared some emotion when speaking about teammate Michael Porter Jr. The 6-foot-10 forward struggled to find a groove throughout the game. Interim head coach David Adelman ran with Russell Westbrook in favor of MPJ in the end of the fourth quarter and overtime.
Jokic spoke to the media about Porter Jr. and gave a brutal yet honest response. “If you’re not going to be engaged right now, then you’re not supposed to be playing this sport,” Jokic said.
Jokic’s comments may have lit a fire under MPJ to prove that he belongs on basketball’s biggest stage. At the same time, his comments have the fans excited, as this is one of the rare few times we’ve seen Jokic show emotions towards his ‘9-5 job.’ The answer will be found in Game 2, which will take place tonight at 10 PM ET on TNT.
