The rush to declare Nikola Jokic’s decline is getting ahead of itself fast.
Denver’s early-season wobble has put the Nuggets back under the microscope, and Jokic is right in the middle of the chatter. The loudest version of the argument says his 2025-26 knee injury has already triggered a premature drop-off.
That theory has been floated everywhere from Bill Simmons’ podcast to a viral post on X. But seven games into the regular season, there just isn’t enough here to treat that as settled fact.
There are real questions worth asking. Some observers have pointed to Jokic’s knee injury and the changes to his body as possible reasons his effectiveness could be slipping.
That possibility exists. So does the chance that those concerns end up looking right down the line.
But right now, the sample is far too small to make sweeping judgments about what Jokic is or isn’t becoming.
That caution matters even more because Denver has a history of starting slowly and finishing strong. The Nuggets have been through this kind of early-season noise before, and this feels a lot like another overreaction in November clothing.
Jokic’s response in his first game after Simmons wondered if “Apex Jokic” had reached his end was hard to ignore: 32 points, 11 assists, 10 rebounds, and three steals in a win over the Toronto Raptors. Still, one big night doesn’t settle anything either. It would be just as reckless to use that performance as proof that all the decline talk is nonsense.
The truth is more complicated. Jokic can still put up huge numbers and yet lose a little ground as an overall player, whether that shows up in impact or in late-game effectiveness.
He can also adjust his game and remain elite. Both paths are on the table.
Neither one has been confirmed.
If the concern is Denver’s first-round exit and Jokic’s knee injury in 2025-26, then the context has to include the fact that four of the team’s top six players in minutes per game missed at least 28 games. If the slow start is the issue, then Denver’s track record after the midpoint of the regular season should matter too: the Nuggets have gone 25-16 or better-a 50-win rate-after that point in four straight seasons.
And if the debate is whether Jokic can still overpower defenders in the post, that’s not something to declare dead after a handful of games. He deserves a full season to show whether this new version of his game works.
Maybe this is all a sign of what’s coming. Jokic is 31, and the idea that he could be moving out of his prime is impossible to ignore. But less than 10 games into a season is no time to hand down a verdict on a player of his caliber.
In Other News...
Aaron Gordon Gave Nuggets Fans A Mexico City Moment To Love
The Nuggets trip to Mexico City already had the feel of a showcase game, with Denver taking care of Indiana 114-102 and getting solid work from Cam Johnson, Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray. Pascal Siakam carried the Pacers offensively, but the night belonged to the broader experience as much as the box score, with two teams playing in front of a crowd that got a rare regular-season treat outside the U.S.
Before tipoff, Aaron Gordon helped provide the kind of local touch that can turn a neutral-site game into something memorable for the home crowd. It was the sort of small moment that travels well, especially in a game like this, and it fit neatly into a night that gave Nuggets fans something extra to remember before the team and Indiana both head to Texas for their next games. [Read more 🡒]
Nikola Jokic Knows Why The Nuggets Needed Spencer Jones Back
The Nuggets have spent much of the early part of the 2026-27 season juggling injuries, but their rotation looked a lot more settled once Spencer Jones was back in the mix. Denver had most of its regulars available again, with Julian Strawther still sidelined, and Jones return gave the team another long, versatile piece to lean on at both ends of the floor.
Nikola Jokic and coach David Adelman both pointed to the same thing after Jones rejoined the group: his value goes beyond filling a spot in the lineup. His defense helps Denver hold up on the perimeter, and his shooting and overall activity give the offense another layer, which is exactly the kind of balance the Nuggets have been missing while trying to patch together the early schedule. [Read more 🡒]
Nuggets Just Missed On A Young Wing They Could Have Used
A young wing the Nuggets could have used is on the move again, with Oklahoma City landing Nique Clifford from Sacramento after he had seen his role shrink early in the season. The second-year player, taken 24th overall in the 2025 NBA Draft, now gives the Thunder another developmental piece on the perimeter, while Denver is left to watch a player who fit a clear need land elsewhere.
The deal also underscores how aggressive Oklahoma City has been in chasing upside on the margins, even if it means shuffling the back end of the roster to make room. Cliffords arrival could mean a roster move is coming soon, and for the Nuggets it is another reminder that the market for young, versatile wings can move quickly when a team is willing to act. [Read more 🡒]