As the 2025 NBA Draft approaches, teams are swinging trades like there’s no tomorrow. Yet, the Nikola Jokic-led Denver Nuggets haven’t struck a deal. The Boston Celtics have been especially busy, trying to clear up their cap sheet for the future.
Boston has gone all-in so they can build the strongest championship contender possible. While Boston’s effort did deliver a championship ring, now they face an uncertain future, in part because of their spending. But it doesn’t help that the face of the Celtics, Jayson Tatum, tore his Achilles in the Eastern Conference Finals, putting Boston’s status as top contenders in doubt.
Meanwhile, Nuggets owner Josh Kroenke has been paying attention to what’s transpired in Boston, and he fears a similar situation playing out in Denver, specifically when it comes to falling so far behind that they have no choice but to trade Jokic to get back to square one.
“The wrong person gets injured, and very quickly you’re into a scenario that I never want to have to contemplate, and that’s trading #15.”
Denver Nuggets owner Josh Kroenke on trading Nikola Jokic
https://t.co/Q6w0oQNo4h pic.twitter.com/nnMdzqFn3m
— Jokicism 🃏 (@jokicgoatic15) June 24, 2025
While Kroenke admitted he never wants to have to contemplate a Jokic trade, it’s a situation he has clearly thought about in the back of his head. Hopefully, for the sake of all basketball fans, the Nuggets don’t have to go down that road, but the financial side of team-building is certainly something the NBA may have to take a closer look at.
Related: Miami Heat ready to trade All-Star talent after missing out on Kevin Durant trade
Sports fan since birth. I am also passionate about cars, music, and anything funny. Minnesotan, born and raised. Maybe ... More about Andrew Buller-Russ