Denver Nuggets

Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokić will have some notable reinforcements if he ever wants to regale the world with his rendition of 50 Cent's "Many Men."

Following Tuesday's 144-109 win over the Philadelphia 76ers, Jokić turned sheepish when pressed by TNT Sports' Adam Lefkoe about his apparent love for the song. The three-time MVP joked he might perform it one day but would "need three, four months" to learn all of the words.

The postgame interview caught the attention of 50 Cent, who said he's ready to stand on stage alongside Jokić:

Jokić has Nuggets teammate DeAndre Jordan to thank for all of this. During an appearance Jan. 16 on FanDuel TV's Run It Back, Jordan divulged that "Many Men" is the star center's favorite song. He also asserted that Jokić knows all of the words.

Maybe it's too late to get the logistics together for Jokić and 50 Cent to serve as the halftime performers at the 2025 All-Star Game at Chase Center in San Francisco. But it sounds like the NBA already has it headline act for the 2026 installment.

In addition to helping the Denver Nuggets secure their sixth win in the past eight games on Friday night, Nikola Jokić and Russell Westbrook made history against the Brooklyn Nets.

The Nuggets duo became the first pair of teammates to record triple-doubles in the same game multiple times in the same season in the 124-105 victory.

Jokić had 35 points on 14-of-21 shooting, 15 assists and 12 rebounds in 38 minutes. Westbrook finished with 25 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in 36 minutes.

Aaron Gordon's injury led to Nuggets head coach Michael Malone moving Westbrook into the starting lineup on Dec. 27. The former NBA MVP started seven times in the first 28 games.

In nine games since Westbrook joined the starting five, the Nuggets are 7-2. This stretch does coincide with an easier part of the schedule, with their wins over the Nets, Detroit Pistons, Utah Jazz, Atlanta Hawks, San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Clippers.

The two best teams that Denver has played during this run were losses to the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics by a combined 26 points.

Westbrook is doing his part in these games, averaging 15.4 points on 53.5 percent shooting, 8.2 assists and 7.4 rebounds. He has recorded three triple-doubles so far this season.

Jokić remains an unstoppable machine with 15 triple-doubles in 32 starts. He is right on the edge of averaging a triple-double for the season with 31.6 points, 13.0 rebounds and 9.9 assists per game.

There were questions during the offseason about Westbrook's fit with the Nuggets when he was rumored to be joining the team. He has acclimated nicely to playing with a strong central force like Jokić thus far.

The Nuggets have climbed up to fourth in the Western Conference standings with a 22-15 record. They are within three games of the Houston Rockets for the No. 2 seed, with those two teams set to meet for the first time this season on Jan. 15 in Denver.

The brother of Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokić has pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor charge stemming from an incident that occurred at Ball Arena during Game 2 of the Western Conference playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers last season.

Per Janet Oravetz of 9News.com, Strahinja Jokić issued his plea during a court appearance on Monday. He is due in court on March 17 for a motions hearing, and his trial is currently set to begin on April 24.

Oravetz noted the Denver Police said in a probable cause statement that a "viral" video of the incident showed Jokić arguing with another person before hitting that person in the face.

Jokić is charged with one count of misdemeanor assault.

Shelly Bradbury of the Denver Post reported in August that Jokić was issued a protection order requiring him to stay away from the alleged victim.

Per Bradbury, Jokić said that he was defending an older man he knew.

The incident occurred on April 22 when the Nuggets defeated the Lakers 101-99 to take a 2-0 series lead. The altercation wasn't reported the night it occurred. Police only became aware of it when they saw the viral video online the following day.

Strahinja, who had a professional basketball career in Serbia, is one of Nikola Jokić's two older brothers. He moved to the United States with his other siblings when Nikola came to Denver in 2015 to begin his NBA career.

The Nuggets defeated the Lakers in the playoffs for the second straight season. They were eliminated from the postseason in the Western Conference semifinals by the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone heaped praise on veteran guard Russell Westbrook on Monday night following his historic performance in a 132-121 win over the Utah Jazz.

Since turnovers were first tracked during the 1977-78 season, Westbrook became only the third player in NBA history to post a triple-double, while not missing a shot from the field or free-throw line and not committing a turnover, per ESPN Research.

After Westbrook finished with 16 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists on 7-of-7 shooting from the floor and 2-of-2 shooting from the charity stripe, Malone said: "First-ballot Hall of Famer, one of the greatest point guards to ever play the game. And what I admire so much about him, aside from the leadership and toughness that he brings every single day, is he's got no ego."

Malone went on to commend Westbrook's burning desire to win as well, saying: "He came here for one reason and that's to help us win a championship. And he hates to lose, and that's another thing I love about him. He's built the right way, and I'll go to war with Russell Westbrook any day."

Westbrook was already the NBA's all-time leader in triple-doubles, and Monday marked the 201st of his illustrious career.

Triple-doubles have become less common for Westbrook in recent years than they were during his time with Oklahoma City Thunder when he averaged a triple-double in three consecutive years and won the 2016-17 NBA MVP Award.

After being a starter for most of his career, Westbrook has primarily come off the bench over his past three seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers and now Nuggets.

Westbrook posted back-to-back top-10 finishes in NBA Sixth Man of the Year voting in 2023 and 2024, and he may be positioning himself for an even better result this season.

Starting just 10 of the 31 games he has appeared in, Westbrook is averaging 12.1 points, 6.5 assists, 4.5 rebounds, 1.7 steals and 1.1 three-pointers made per contest, while shooting 44.7 percent from the field and 31.2 percent from beyond the arc.

While much of the credit for Denver's success tends to go to Nikola Jokić, Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr., Westbrook has been the Nuggets' most productive bench player by far, and he is one of only four Nuggets players who has appeared in every game this season.

The Nuggets have had some ups and downs this season, but they are now 18-13 after winning four of their past six games, and there is no question that they have the talent and history of success needed to be contenders come playoff time.

Westbrook is already a surefire Hall of Famer thanks to his nine All-Star selections, two scoring titles, one NBA MVP Award and triple-double record, but the one major accomplishment missing from his résumé is an NBA championship.

That is perhaps the biggest reason why Westbrook signed with the Nuggets this past offseason, and that decision seems to be paying dividends.

Westbrook is 36, and while many players who win championships at that age are essentially passengers rather than major contributors, that won't be the case for Westbrook if Denver manages to go the distance this season.

After the Phoenix Suns outlasted the Denver Nuggets 110-100 on Christmas Day, Suns star forward Kevin Durant made it clear how much he respects Nuggets star center Nikola Jokić.

During his post-game interview with ESPN, Durant called Jokić "arguably the best player in the world and a top-10 player of all-time."

Durant and guard Bradley Beal spearheaded the victory with 27 points apiece to help Phoenix snap a three-game skid and improve to 15-14.

Jokić led Denver with 25 points and 15 rebounds in the loss. The three-time NBA MVP is averaging a career-high 30.7 points with 12.6 rebounds and 9.4 assists while shooting 56.7 percent from the field and a career-best 50.0 percent from beyond the arc.

Despite Jokić's impressive stats, the Nuggets have struggled to find consistency this year following their 7-3 start to the season and now rank fifth in the Western Conference with a 16-12 record following their loss to the Suns.

Denver will look to bounce back on Friday when it hosts the Cleveland Cavaliers (26-4) on Friday.

The Denver Nuggets reassured Michael Porter Jr. about his status within the organization's long-term future as the star forward is the subject of trade rumors.

"They've reached out to me and said it's all noise," Porter said Monday after a 117-90 win over the Phoenix Suns. "There's nothing serious going on, and if there was, they would let me know."

Porter said the Nuggets gave they impression they "have no desire to move me right now."

The Athletic's Tony Jones and Sam Amick reported on Dec. 17 that Denver is "canvassing the league in pursuit of a player who can offer significant help offensively." In the event the team went after a notable player, with Chicago Bulls star Zach LaVine cited as an example, then Porter would likely be going the other way.

NBA insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer followed up on Dec. 20 to report the Nuggets "have indeed weighed whether to trade away [Porter]."

The 26-year-old is in an unenviable position because he's by far Denver's best trade asset between now and the Feb. 6 trade deadline. Through 27 games, he's averaging 18.3 points on 51.8 percent shooting, and he's connecting on 38.8 percent of his long-range jumpers.

Even if general manager Calvin Booth was open to dealing guard Jamal Murray or forward Aaron Gordon, neither can be moved this season thanks to the contract extensions each signed. Porter is the only member of the roster, Nikola Jokić aside, who could net a serious return.

In his press conference, the 6'10" forward acknowledged the Nuggets "wouldn't tell me if they wanted to move me," so there's little in the way of firm guarantees he can get.

All he can do is count down the days until the deadline and hope he remains a Denver player on Feb. 7.

Of course, then the cycle will just start over again once the offseason arrives.

The Denver Nuggets "have indeed weighed" the possibility of trading forward Michael Porter Jr., according to NBA insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer.

"What began with the Nuggets exploring the feasibility of trading Porter for Paul George this past summer, before George bolted Clipperland for Philadelphia in free agency, has expanded to internal discussions this season, sources say, about whether such a step has to be considered even more strongly now in the wake of Denver's 14-11 struggles," Fischer reported.

Beyond simply moving the 26-year-old, there are ongoing discussions over what kind of trade to pursue, per Fischer. He reported a segment of the front office prefers getting "two starting-caliber players" instead of one marquee star.

This comes after The Athletic's Tony Jones and Sam Amick reported Tuesday that Denver is "canvassing the league in pursuit of a player who can offer significant help offensively." To that end, there has been a "significant" focus on Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine.

Jones and Amick also wrote how "any big trade would likely involve Porter."

Through 25 games, Porter is averaging 18.4 points and 7.1 rebounds. He's a very good shooter for his size (6'10") with a career field-goal percentage of 50.0, including 40.8 from the perimeter.

Beyond the value he provides on the court, Porter's $35.9 million salary for 2024-25 would help facilitate a blockbuster trade. Guard Jamal Murray is on similar money ($36 million), but he can't be traded thanks to the timing of his $208 million extension. The same goes for forward Aaron Gordon.

If the Nuggets want to do something big before the Feb. 6 deadline, then Porter has to go. It's as simple as that.

Having such little flexibility in terms of whom he can trade might lead general manager Calvin Booth to table this idea until the offseason, absent Denver's fortunes sinking far below where they are now.

Losing to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference semifinals raised questions over whether the Nuggets as currently constructed have hit their peak. A 14-11 record to start this year has reinforced that narrative.

Still, watching the rest of this season unfold might be a more prudent course for the front office since it needs to make sure it has the best possible trade package when dealing a key supporting star.

Early returns show that Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić is once again the front-runner to claim NBA MVP honors.

Tim Bontemps revealed Friday that a straw poll conducted by ESPN has Jokić as the current favorite for the award, with Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo running in second and third, respectively.

If these results hold following the season, Jokić would claim his second consecutive MVP and his fourth in the last five seasons.

Jokić is averaging 31.0 points, 13.0 rebounds and 9.8 assists across 22 games for the Nuggets so far this season while shooting 56.4 percent from the field and playing a whopping 37.2 minutes per night.

While Gilgeous-Alexander and Antetokounmpo are producing at robust rates, Jokić's dominance all over the court makes it hard to pull a vote away from him. If he were to finish the season with his current numbers, he would exceed his career high in points, match his career high in assists and be close to his career high on the boards (13.8).

Denver is currently 14-11 and in sixth place in the Western Conference. Alexander's Thunder are 21-5, which could certainly boost his case, but Denver should still qualify for the playoffs and that likely wouldn't be possible without Jokić running the show.

Veteran forward Michael Porter Jr. might be the marquee trade chip the Denver Nuggets use in a blockbuster swap, according to The Athletic's Tony Jones and Sam Amick.

Jones and Amick reported that "any big trade would likely involve Porter," with the insiders citing Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine as a prospective target.

The pursuit of LaVine points to the need for the Nuggets to shake something up with their core.

They're 14-10 and fifth in the Western Conference. Only two games separate them from the 11th-place San Antonio Spurs.

Denver is also 13th in net rating (plus-2.5), per NBA.com, after finishing fourth last year. This is despite Nikola Jokić having another MVP-caliber season. He's averaging 30.9 points, 13.3 rebounds and 9.9 assists through 21 appearances.

If they wanted to significantly improve their supporting cast around Jokić, then they'd have to consider sacrificing Porter or guard Jamal Murray. In the case of Murray, he's probably too valuable to Denver as the sidekick to Jokić, and he can't be traded this season anyway after signing his four-year, $208 million extension in September.

That leaves Porter, who's in the midst of another solid campaign. He's averaging 18.5 points on 51.2 percent shooting, including 38.5 percent from beyond the arc.

The 6'10" standout would be an impactful contributor for another contender or somebody a team in a rebuild could flip down the line. For the Nuggets, his $35.9 million salary is also necessary to make the finances work when acquiring another star.

A Porter swap isn't a fait accompli, with Jones and Amick reporting the 2023 NBA champions "value Porter and what he does for the spacing of Denver's offense significantly." They've also discussed an extension with the 26-year-old, who can become a free agent in 2027.

But general manager Calvin Booth knows the cost if he wants to shop at the top end of the trade market.

The Denver Nuggets are reportedly eyeing some offensive help ahead of the Feb. 6 trade deadline.

Tony Jones and Sam Amick of The Athletic reported Tuesday that Denver has discussed potential moves for Zach LaVine of the Chicago Bulls, Jordan Poole and Jonas Valančiūnas of the Washington Wizards, Jordan Clarkson of the Utah Jazz, De'Andre Hunter of the Atlanta Hawks, and Cam Johnson of the Brooklyn Nets.

They noted the "focus on LaVine in recent discussions is significant" since the Nuggets are particularly looking for "a player who can offer significant help offensively."

Such a trade will come at a cost, though, as Jones and Amick also reported Michael Porter Jr. would likely be included in any "big" move. They also listed Zeke Nnaji and a pick swap as assets that could be moved.

Ultimately, Denver is looking for someone who can create his own shot with the ball in his hands, which is something it can only count on from Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray with the way the roster is currently constructed.

That is one reason why the Nuggets are in fifth place in the Western Conference even though Jokić is playing at a dominant and MVP level while averaging a near triple-double of 30.9 points, 13.3 rebounds, 9.9 assists and 1.8 steals per game while shooting 55.8 percent from the field and 48.9 percent from deep.

He is playing a career-high 37.2 minutes per night and also attempting a career-high 21.1 shots per game.

Denver needs Jokić fresh and at his best come playoff time if it is going to compete for a championship in the loaded Western Conference, and adding someone who can take the offensive burden off his shoulders would help accomplish just that.

LaVine is far from a perfect player and comes with question marks on defense, but he is also a two-time All-Star who can take over stretches of games with his offensive ability.

He is averaging 21.1 points a night while shooting 50.1 percent from the field and 42.8 percent from deep. That type of efficiency would work well paired with Jokić, as he could take advantage of the openings created by the double teams the big man consistently draws by either spotting up or cutting to the rim.

LaVine can also draw some of the defense away from the MVP candidate with his own ball-handling abilities, which may be exactly what the Nuggets need to capitalize on this win-now window with such a generational player anchoring their lineup.