The Denver Nuggets have been the gold standard in the Northwest Division for the last six years. In the Western Conference, they’ve become one of the most formidable teams to face, their hopes carried on the broad shoulders of three-time MVP selection Nikola Jokic. A wild card with an unstoppable offensive game, Jokic has already led the Nuggets to one NBA championship. In 2023, the franchise secured their first title after going 53-29, taking down top-notch teams in the playoffs.
But time waits for no man.
Jokic is now entering Year 10 of his historic career. In February, he’ll turn 30 years old. Realistically, Jokic’s game will age well because it’s predicated on skill rather than athleticism. So, he should be able to play at a high level for several more years.
However, bodies begin to break down over time and Jokic wasn’t exactly a physical specimen to begin with. Furthermore, Jokic’s world doesn’t revolve around basketball. His growing family and maybe even horses are more important to the international superstar.
So, how much longer will Denver’s championship window remain open?
Nuggets’ Keys To Keep Championship Window Open
“In a best-case scenario, I think Nikola has a prime 10-year contention window,” says Nuggets general manager Calvin Booth, per ESPN reporter Baxter Holmes. “I think we’re about halfway through it. So, we probably have about five more similar shots and all the shots count.”
“We hit one of them, that’s great… but it’s going to be incredibly hard to win another one.”
Assuming Booth is right, the Nuggets’ window will remain open until around 2030. If so, Jokic’s current running mates —Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr., and Aaron Gordon —will be essential to their mission. Like Jokic, it isn’t just their games that matter, they’ll all have to manage their bodies to ensure that their window doesn’t close early. If they can’t, they may not get to finish the journey together.
To that point, Murray has missed at least 20 games in four of the last five seasons. He missed the entirety of 2021-22 with an ACL injury. Porter’s back almost sounds bionic the way his friends describe it, adding a sense of awe to the fact that he’s still a feared scorer. Still, the concerns about his durability are real. The wrong type of fall or landing could have a significant impact on his future.
Gordon has been more or less healthy throughout his career. However, he’ll be on the wrong side of 30 starting next season. As a player whose game is heavily dependent upon his athletic capabilities, this is a matter of concern. With that being said, there are certainly ways he can stave off the natural effects of aging.
Speaking of their play, Porter stepping up and diversifying his offense could make them the team to beat out West. Jokic and Murray are both dynamic scorers, particularly in the postseason. In the regular season and beyond, Porter should look to make dream of being a 20-points-a-night guy a reality.
Michael Porter Jr: “There’s no reason why I can’t take my 17 points per game to 20.”
— Harrison Wind (@HarrisonWind) September 26, 2024
Increasing his three-point volume would be an easy way to increase his scoring volume given his shooting prowess. Nonetheless, if Porter attacks more off the dribble, he makes Denver’s offense harder to guard.
They’ll be less predictable, perhaps the most glaring problem with Michael Malone’s offense. Their opponents will have to assign better defenders to Porter, making it easier for his teammates to score. As Porter improves as a decision-maker and facilitator, the playmaking possibilities in their starting lineup become all but endless.
