Nikola Jokic is still sitting on top of ESPN’s NBA player rankings, and for the Denver Nuggets, that’s hardly a surprise.
Heading into the 2026-27 season, ESPN’s panel of NBA insiders voted Jokic No. 1 in the league, giving him the top spot for the third straight year. Even with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander taking the MVP award in each of the past two seasons, Jokic remains the name at the front of the line.
That’s the bigger story here: Jokic’s place in the game hasn’t really changed, even if the debate around him has. Some observers now point to the rise of Gilgeous-Alexander and Wembanyama, but ESPN still came down firmly on Jokic’s side.
And it’s easy to see why. Last season, while Denver’s year ended with an ugly first-round playoff exit, Jokic put together another monster campaign. He averaged 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 10.7 assists per game while shooting 56.9% from the field and 38% from 3-point range.
He also made history in a way no one else had before: Jokic became the first player ever to lead the NBA in both rebounds per game and assists per game in the same season. He did it while scoring nearly 28 points a night and helping Denver go 43-22 (.662) when he was in the lineup.
The numbers only add to a resume that already looks massive. Jokic has now finished in the top two of MVP voting in six straight seasons, a group that includes only Larry Bird and Bill Russell. He has won the award three times, and although he hasn’t taken home MVP since 2024, his place among the league’s elite hasn’t budged.
There’s also the playoff question, and that’s the one area where the conversation gets a little more complicated. Jokic and the Nuggets haven’t made it past the second round since their title run in 2023, and that first-round loss last season hung over everything.
Still, the case for Jokic at No. 1 remains strong. He’s coming off one of the most remarkable statistical seasons the league has ever seen, and there’s no real sign that he’s slowing down.
The biggest threat to his grip on the top spot may be Wembanyama, whose talent has already pushed him into the conversation. At 22 years old, the Spurs star is viewed as a future challenger for that crown.
For now, though, Jokic stays right where ESPN put him: first.
In Other News...
Hornets Trade Could Trigger Another Roster Move Fans Will Notice
Charlottes latest move with Atlanta sent Buddy Hield, Ryan Nembhard and cash considerations to the Hawks in exchange for Dorian Finney-Smith, but the ripple effect may reach well beyond that deal. The Hornets are expected to waive Nembhard, which could open the door for teams looking to add a young guard without giving up assets.
For Denver, that kind of roster casualty is worth watching closely. If Nembhard clears waivers, he could draw interest from teams searching for backcourt depth, and the Nuggets are among the clubs mentioned in that conversation as they monitor the market for low-cost additions. Charlotte has already made a habit of reshaping its roster, including the earlier LaMelo Ball trade to Minnesota, so the possibility of another move down the line is very much alive. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Move On From Keon Johnson And Raise An Immediate Question
Keon Johnsons stint with the Hawks ended quickly after Atlanta waived the former first-round pick, who had signed an Exhibit 10 contract. For a player still trying to carve out a long-term NBA role, the move puts him back on the open market and opens the usual late-summer scramble for teams looking to add young perimeter talent without much risk.
Among the clubs that could at least take a look is Denver, where roster flexibility always matters and any extra wing depth tends to draw attention. Johnsons case is built around his energy and the possibility that a team could still see room for development, but for now his next stop remains unsettled as interested teams sort through their options. [Read more 🡒]
Nuggets Face A Telling Decision On Their Young Wing's Future
Denvers roster decisions are getting harder, and the next one on the board involves a young wing whose future is tied to both performance and payroll. With so much of the Nuggets cap already spoken for by large contracts, the front office has little flexibility to hand out another long-term deal just yet, even to a player it clearly has reasons to keep tabs on.
The timing matters because this is the only player on the roster eligible for a rookie-scale extension before the 2026-27 season, which gives the Nuggets a narrow window to weigh potential against finances. If his play takes another step and the teams salary-cap picture loosens down the road, a new contract could come back into focus, but for now the organization seems to be approaching the situation with patience rather than urgency. [Read more 🡒]