Movin' on up

Now we’re up in the big leagues
Gettin’ our turn at bat
As long as we live
It’s you and me, baby
There ain’t nothin’ wrong with that

– The Jeffersons

Six seasons ago, the Denver Nuggets brought what they were hoping was a savior to savor for an extended stretch with the team. And while head coach Michael Malone has certainly been exceptional for the team, raising their win totals and playoff position every year, he hasn’t been the piece that was added that season that has paid the biggest dividends for the organization. That particular boon was fast asleep in Serbia when Denver unknowingly changed their fortunes wildly with second-round pick Nikola Jokic.

The Joker’s story has become lore for Nuggets Nation, from his youthful struggles with weight, his pick coming during a Taco Bell commercial, his close family ties, and revelatory game all simply being the start of his tale. As his near-pathological desire to share the ball to the right spot has borne fruit during his tenure, he’s remade the Nuggets in his image, with the team’s assists-per-game numbers rising season over season. Jokic’s assists-per-game averages have also steadily risen over those seasons as well, with last year the first time he saw a plateau in those counts, and this season off to a truly torrid start.

But though sharing is his calling card, Jokic’s game is as multi-faceted as any other star in the league, as his scoring and rebounding totals have also seen leaps over his first five seasons, with his sixth off to the fastest start in his career. Nikola’s primary desire is to help his team win games, and his contributions tend to leverage whatever part of the game his opponent is giving him. One night, Jokic will throw up 40+ points if that’s what his team needs. The next, he’ll bury his opponent with more assists than any center has tallied wince Wilt Chamberlain in 1968. His goal is a W, and whatever that means for his personal stats at the end… is not just secondary to the young center, but almost inconsequential.

Which is why the team’s 1-3 start must be sticking in his craw deeply while he tries to carry the team on his back from their decidedly slow start. While the squad has had their struggles, Jokic has been nothing shy of revolutionary, notching three triple-doubles in his first four games, which is steadily changing his place in league and franchise history, even as he roundly ignores such platitudes.

While Nikola and crew figure out their cohesion on both ends of the floor, Jokic’s triple-double outlay has vaulted him past fellow Nugget Fat Lever on the all-time list, now solely in ninth place, and only two behind James Harden for the eighth spot. There is only one center ahead of him, with the names he still might pass a true “Who’s who” of NBA superstardom. In order, the names Jokic is now trying to pass includes Harden (46 triple-doubles), Larry Bird (59), Wilt Chamberlain (78), LeBron James (94), Jason Kidd (107), Magic Johnson (138), Russell Westbrook (149), and Oscar Robertson (181). While he may never make the apex of that mountain, his climb could still very well catapult him into the top five all-time before he’s done.

Speaking of passing Lever, Jokic also passed Fat on the Nuggets Franchise index as well, now having contributed 49.5 Win Shares to the franchise’s overall totals. That achievement moves him to seventh place on the all-time list, with Nene and Carmelo Anthony right ahead of him. Should the Joker keep his usual pace of 10-or-so Win Shares this season, he will not only pass Nene (51.1) and Melo (53.5), but also Byron Beck (55.0) and the Skywalker himself, David Thompson (56.8). That would place Jokic in third all-time by seasons’ end, with only Alex English (84.2) and Dan Issel (94.8) ahead of him. At that pace, and should he stay with the Nuggets, Jokic should quite easily own this list after nine or ten seasons with the team, making him the greatest contributor the franchise has ever seen.

Second-round hopeful to MVP frontrunner to league triple-double darling to franchise icon.  Whether you’ve been watching since he showed up, or are simply catching on now, get on board the Jokic train. He’s quite probably the best player the franchise has had to date, a rarity for any fan to get to see. Moving on up, indeed. Happy New Year, Nuggets Nation.