Nikola Jokic on Milos Teodosic: "I know he doesn't want to come here and be on the bench."

Ask around the league and many will say Milos Teodosic is the best point guard not playing in the NBA.

Teodosic, 29, is a 6-foot-5 pass-first point guard who’s one of the most exciting playmakers in the world to watch. You likely remember him from this summer’s Rio Olympics where he helped lead a Serbian squad, that also featured Nuggets’ rising center Nikola Jokic, to a silver medal.

As recently as mid-January, Teodosic has made it known publicly that he wants to play in the NBA next season. The CSKA Moscow guard is averaging 14.4 points on 42.5 percent shooting from the field and 33.7 percent from three, to go with nearly seven assists per game. He’s a legend in Europe that can shoot it from distance and distribute, but is a minus defensively, something that was apparent in Rio.

Jokic knows Teodosic well. The two played together for Serbia this summer, and have spent significant amounts of time on the court together for the national team over the past couple of years. In New Orleans during All-Star Weekend, Jokic was asked about Teodosic’s desire to play stateside and how he’d fit in the league.

“I think he definitely can play here,” Jokic said via EuroHoops.tv. “He’s really talented. I think he wants to come here and play here. If people are going to bench him or are people going to let him play….”

“He wants to play here,” Jokic added. “I know he doesn’t want to come here and be on the bench.”

That’s presumably been the hold up with Teodosic finding a home with an NBA franchise. Teodosic wants to play and start. He’s not coming to the NBA to sit on the bench.

“He can play, it’s just a matter of time (until he comes to the NBA),” Jokic said.

Here’s Teodosic via Sportnado in January about his NBA prospects.

“2016 was my best year. I will go to the NBA for sure, but I still don’t know when, in which club and on what terms. We’ll see. CSKA Moscow certainly has an advantage in the negotiations of a new contract “ the point guard added. “Offers from Grizzlies, Jazz, Spurs or Rockets? I did not get any offers from them. I don’t know who said that.”

Teodosic was also asked his thoughts about the young European players that are “rushing” to the NBA even if they know they won’t have playing time.

“For me this is an error. I like to play and I don’t like to sit on the bench and I would not agree on any contract if I have to sit on the bench. This is my condition for going to the NBA.”

In 2016, Teodosic also commented on his desires to get to the United States and play in the NBA, via EuroHoops.net.

“In the past I felt that playing in the NBA was not something really close to me. Now, I think about it. I want to travel to the States, play in the NBA and compete against the best players in the world. Maybe now I am more ready mentally and also on the court. I know what I can do it, I believe in myself and I have no doubts or second thoughts.”

“I am in the best phase of my career, I play for the Euroleague champs and I enjoy the most important thing for me since I was a kid, playing on open courts. I enjoy basketball. I will not risk losing that, because this is the only thing that I really need.”

“I want to feel that an NBA team knows my game, has a plan for me and can use me in a unit with real chemistry, while having high goals and being competitive. I want to win, to be motivated and to feel that the coaches and the organization trust me. It’s important when you play to have high goals. That’s what I’ve been doing since I was a kid, I was chasing championship titles.”

“I want to go to the NBA and I know that I can establish myself there and really contribute. I will not sign anywhere just to be able to say that I played in the NBA. I need the whole package that will excite me. So it depends on what offers I get as a free agent and the way the teams approach and talk to me.”

“Ιf I end up in the NBA, I just want to be able to be myself. The spaces on the court are bigger compared to Europe, traps on defense and hedge outs to guards are rare, while there are many great shooters and big men who can finish the pick and roll. I think that those are keys for my game, I could adjust easily and produce high quality basketball. I don’t care about my numbers, that’s not the point. The point is to play the basketball that I can and really influence the game of my team, help it be more effective.”

There have also been reports out of Serbia linking the Nuggets and Teodosic. Serbian paper “Novosti,” reported Denver has interest in the point guard, as do “dozens” of other teams throughout the league including Utah. David Pick reported that although Teodosic is a free agent this summer, CSKA could make him the highest-paid European point guard ever.

Emmanuel Mudiay still has two years remaining on his rookie deal after this season, Jamal Murray has three left on his and Jameer Nelson is under contract for $4.7 million next year. There’s not a natural fit for Teodosic in Denver but the Nuggets could potentially shuffle things around in their backcourt this summer.

Denver could be a natural transition for Teodosic to the NBA with Jokic, someone he’s familiar with, and a slew of other international players.