The Golden State Warriors are already looking past the current injury mess and aiming at a much bigger prize. With Jimmy Butler, Moses Moody, and Kristaps Porzingis all sidelined at different points this season, the team has leaned on Steph Curry and Yaxel Lendeborg just to keep things steady. But behind the scenes, the focus appears to be on next summer and a swing at a true franchise-altering name.
According to Jake Fischer, the Warriors still see themselves as a destination for stars and are quietly keeping an eye on Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic. Fischer said on SiriusXM, “The Warriors are one of those teams out there like, ‘Are we sure Jokic isn’t going to become available next summer?’
They are one of those teams that hopes… ‘We could have max cap space, and we have Steph Curry…’ There was a quote from someone who’s around the building who said that the Warriors still believe they are a destination,” said Jake Fischer on SiriusXM. They didn’t get Giannis, and Kevin Durant didn’t want to go back, but they believe that they will be able to attract, whether it be a trade or on the open market, someone big next summer.”
That confidence traces back to the Curry era, which transformed Golden State from a team that barely mattered in the West into one of the league’s most valuable and lucrative organizations. That success changed the way players viewed the franchise, even if the Warriors have still come up short on several major pursuits.
Over the years, they have missed on Kevin Durant, Damian Lillard, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and LeBron James, among others. At the same time, pieces of the title core have moved on, including Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, and Jordan Poole.
Even with those misses, the Warriors are still acting like a team that believes one big addition can reset everything. The pairing of Curry and Lendeborg has given them something to build around, and the idea is that one more star could push them back into the championship conversation.
Jokic is the name at the center of that dream. His future has become a real talking point, even though he has publicly shown loyalty to Denver.
At 31, though, the questions are starting to pile up. Since the Nuggets won the championship in 2023, things have gone downhill, and reports have pointed to growing frustration.
Extension talks have also been delayed, leaving open the possibility that Jokic could opt out and become a free agent in less than 10 months.
That is why teams are watching Denver so closely, especially with the Nuggets off to a 4-3 start this season. Golden State’s need at center makes the fit obvious, and Jokic’s current production only sharpens the appeal. He is averaging 23.4 points, 9.7 rebounds, 9.3 assists, 2.1 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game while shooting 50.4% from the field this season.
In Other News...
Nikola Jokic Just Entered A Conversation Nuggets Fans Will Hate
The early look at the 2027 draft board already says plenty about where the league thinks the next wave of talent is headed, and it also says something about how unsettled the future may feel around the NBAs biggest names. ESPNs Jeremy Woo put Kansas forward/guard Tyran Stokes at No. 1 on his initial big board, citing the kind of versatility that makes scouts lean in, even as questions remain about efficiency and maturity. With the class viewed as thinner than recent groups and more prospects likely to stay in college because of NIL money and shifting rules, the long-range draft picture is still taking shape.
For Nuggets fans, the more uncomfortable part is the backdrop around it. League personnel are already watching for what could happen with stars who usually seem untouchable, and Nikola Jokic is at least part of that conversation in the broadest sense. No one is suggesting a move is around the corner, but the fact that his name is even floating through future trade speculation is the kind of thing that gets attention in Denver, especially when the league is already bracing for a draft cycle that may not offer the usual quick fixes. [Read more 🡒]
Nuggets Rookies Are Giving Denver A Boost Nobody Saw Coming
The Nuggets have gotten an early-season lift from two rookies who have stepped into meaningful roles sooner than expected. Trevon Brazile has brought energy, defense and rebounding off the bench, giving Denver a steady presence in the frontcourt, while Bryce Hopkins has shown he can handle more than spot duty when the rotation needs a jolt.
Hopkins recently filled in for an injured teammate and responded with efficient scoring, plus work on the glass and at the defensive end. For a team that always needs depth to hold up over the long haul, the encouraging part is not just that the rookies are contributing, but that they are doing it in different ways and making it harder for Denver to ignore them as the season develops. [Read more 🡒]
Jamal Murray Suddenly Feels Like Part Of Denvers Bigger Problem
The Nuggets uneven start has already put a spotlight on the bigger issues around the roster, with a 4-3 record, a dip in net rating and a defense that has not looked like a contenders yet. Even with Jamal Murray still producing at a high level and remaining central to everything Denver does offensively, the larger question around the team is whether the current group is good enough to keep pace in a crowded West.
Jamal Murrays name is now part of that conversation in a way it usually is not. If Denver keeps drifting instead of separating itself, the front office could eventually have to weigh difficult possibilities in the search for a fix, and that is where the tension starts to build around one of the franchises most important players. For a team that still expects to contend, the pressure is already less about one bad week and more about whether the early-season problems are a warning sign. [Read more 🡒]