The Toronto Raptors are being mentioned as a possible landing spot for Nikola Jokic, and that alone says plenty about how high their ambitions are heading into the future. Toronto already has eyes on a major jump in the East with Kawhi Leonard cleared to return this summer, and after finishing 46-36 last season and placing fifth in the standings, some analysts are even projecting a top-four finish in 2026-27.
But the chatter around the Raptors does not stop at a bigger step forward. The latest buzz has them tied to one of the league’s most dominant players, Nuggets star Nikola Jokic. He is not available right now, and he has not signed his extension in Denver yet, which is enough to keep rival front offices watching closely.
A big part of the connection runs through Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic, who has a relationship with Jokic. As Jeremy Brener of Yahoo Sports put it, “Jokic likely has a relationship with Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic, who is one of just three European coaches currently in a head coaching position. Rajakovic recently spoke very highly of Jokic in an interview, and it’s clear that there is probably mutual respect between the two,” Rajakovic and the Raptors would certainly love to have Jokic in the fold, but a trade would likely hinge on whether the three-time MVP would consider leaving Denver, his only NBA home since 2015.”
For now, Jokic has shown no sign of wanting out. He has spent all 11 seasons of his NBA career in Denver and has been loyal to the Nuggets throughout. Over that stretch, he has averaged 22.2 points, 11.1 rebounds, 7.5 assists, 1.3 steals, and 0.7 blocks per game while shooting 56.9% from the field.
That kind of production is exactly why so many teams keep one eye on his situation. Jokic is a unique offensive force - a star playmaker, a gifted ball handler, and a relentless scorer - and he changes the ceiling of whatever roster he joins.
There is still a possible off-ramp from Denver down the line. Jokic has a $62.8 million player option for 2027-28, and he reportedly plans to sign an extension next summer.
If the Nuggets do not look like a serious title team, though, he could decide to put himself first and move on. If that ever happens, almost every team in the league would line up for him.
The Raptors would have to build a massive package to even enter the conversation, with Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett, and Gradey Dick - plus most of their first-round picks - mentioned as the kind of haul it might take.
Toronto also has a few things working in its favor beyond the basketball fit. Rajakovic is from Serbia, and the idea of pairing Jokic with Kawhi Leonard, Scottie Barnes, and Jakob Poeltl would give the Raptors an elite Eastern Conference core. That group would stack up with the Knicks, Cavaliers, and the new-look 76ers, while also giving Jokic a chance to play for the league’s only non-American team.
Nothing about this is close to certain, and Jokic still has a lot of elite basketball ahead of him. But as the years go on, the pressure to stay in meaningful games will only grow. If Denver cannot keep pace, Toronto figures to be in the conversation if Jokic ever becomes truly available.
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Raptors Face A Costly Kawhi Gamble After NBA Punishment
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Leonard was fined $700,000, while the fallout also reached beyond the player himself. Former Clippers business manager Dennis Robertson was banned from league activities for five years, and owner Steve Ballmer was suspended for one year from all league and team activities, underscoring how serious the league viewed the case and why it now hangs over any discussion of how the Leonard era might have unfolded differently. [Read more 🡒]
Raptors Offseason History Still Sets The Standard For Every Front Office Move
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Kyle Lowrys retirement only sharpened that reflection, closing the book on one of the era-defining players in franchise history. And as Toronto looks back at the moves that reshaped its rise, there is still an old familiar piece of unfinished business attached to one of the biggest bets in franchise history, the kind of situation that keeps a long-ago summer relevant far beyond the moment it happened. [Read more 🡒]
Kyle Lowry Is Giving Raptors Fans A Rare Toronto Reunion
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The gathering also fits into a longer runway to one of the franchises biggest honors for a former star. Lowrys No. 7 is scheduled to go up to the rafters on Jan. 10, 2027, when Toronto hosts the 76ers, and this falls reunion looks like an early chance for fans to reconnect with one of the defining players of the Raptors modern era. [Read more 🡒]