The Denver Nuggets had championship aspirations at the start of the season. They ended up earning the third seed in the West, but they were eliminated from the 2026 NBA playoffs in the first round.
The Nuggets had a very disappointing showing against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Nikola Jokic was putting up numbers, but he was struggling against Rudy Gobert‘s defense.
And after six games, the Nuggets were shown the door heading to the offseason earlier than expected.
Nikola Jokic’s Honest Assessment of Denver’s Early Summer
GettyNikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets reacts during the third quarter of a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game Six of the First Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Target Center on April 30, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Speaking to Serbian media outlet Mozzart Sport, Nikola Jokic was asked about the Denver Nuggets’ early exit from the 2026 NBA playoffs. Jokic offered a very brutal and honest answer regarding the Nuggets’ performance in the first round.
“As for my team, we were eliminated in the first round,” Jokic said, via BasketNews. “Some say maybe we could have done more, some say we could have done better, but when someone beats you in a playoff series, I think that team is better than you. If we could have won, we would have won.”
The Nuggets had depth for the first time since winning the NBA championship in 2023. However, they just couldn’t figure out the Minnesota Timberwolves, which was the same team that eliminated them from the Western Conference semifinals in 2024.
Jokic could become a free agent in the summer of 2027, though he has repeatedly said that he wants to stay with the Nuggets.
The franchise will have a busy offseason, with players not named Jokic possibly available for trade.
On the other hand, Jokic is back with the Serbian national team this summer. Their training camp for the upcoming World Cup qualifying window began on June 22. He will be serving as captain for their next two games, with Bogdan Bogdanovic out with an injury.
Denver Nuggets To Make Changes This Offseason
GettyNikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets calls a play during the first half of a game against the Utah Jazz at the Delta Center on April 1, 2026 in Salt Lake City, Utah.
After what happened in the playoffs, the Denver Nuggets are expected to be aggressive this offseason.
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported last month that changes are going to be made in Denver’s roster surrounding Nikola Jokic.
“There are going to be changes in Denver,” Charania said, via HoopsRumors. “I don’t know how much, but there’s going to be some level of change. Whether that’s tinkering a couple players around. … But they are so strapped financially moving forward in whether it’s the tax, whether it’s approaching the aprons, that there’s going to be a lot of conversations about players on this roster.”
Some of the names mentioned in trade speculation in recent weeks are Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, Christian Braun and Cameron Johnson. Jokic is also eligible for an extension, and Charania believes he’ll be signing a new deal with the Nuggets.
Nikola Jokic Offers Brutally Honest Take on Denver Nuggets’ Early Playoff Exit