Larry Brown Sports dropped a bomb on August 21 that has NBA circles buzzing. The Los Angeles Lakers are reportedly setting their sights on Nikola Jokic once new ownership finishes cleaning house.
This is either Rob Pelinka daydreaming out loud or the biggest story of the decade. There is no middle ground here.
Let us start with the reality check. The Lakers have zero tradable first-round picks left. They shipped their 2031 and 2033 unprotected firsts to Utah in the Luka deal. All that remains is pick-swap dust and a roster full of contracts nobody in Denver actually wants.
You cannot trade for the reigning best player on the planet with vibes and a Rui Hachimura contract. The math simply does not add up.
Now the case for taking this seriously. Jokic himself said this summer that his plan is to sign an extension and stay in Denver for the rest of his career. Owners with new money and old ambitions rarely take no for an answer, though.
Denver already flinched. The Nuggets moved Peyton Watson to Cleveland to duck the luxury tax. That is not the behavior of a franchise that believes it can build a real contender around a three-time MVP.
Once a superstar sees his front office pinching pennies, the trust starts to crack. Jokic is loyal, not blind.
The Lakers have Luka Doncic, an ownership group that just handed over billions, and a market that can absorb any tax bill. If Jokic ever hints at wanting out, Los Angeles jumps to the front of the line automatically.
Here is the problem with that. Denver has no reason to accept a package built around Austin Reaves, LeBron’s expiring deal, and swaps. The Nuggets would rather run it back and lose in the second round than gift Jokic to a conference rival for pennies.
A real offer requires draft capital the Lakers do not have. Which means Pelinka needs to find a third team willing to launder picks into Denver. That is the kind of move that either wins a title or gets a front office fired within eighteen months.
My take. This is ninety percent noise and ten percent leverage play by Lakers insiders trying to plant a seed in Jokic’s head. Denver knows exactly what is happening.
If it somehow gets done, the Western Conference is decided for the next four years. If it does not, Los Angeles wasted precious oxygen chasing a ghost while the rest of the league passed them by.
Ownership drama first. Fantasy trade later. Do not hold your breath.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
