Nikola Jokic on verge of signing with Nuggets

According to The Denver Posts’ Chris Dempsey, the Nuggets are close to signing their 2014 second-round pick Nikola Jokic who spent last season playing for KK Mega Vizura in the Adriatic League where he averaged 15.4 points and 9.2 rebounds per game.

The 20-year-old Jokic, who had been playing professionally in Europe since 2012, appears ready to make the jump to the NBA after bursting onto the international scene in 2014 with a strong showing at the Nike Hoops Summit and winning the Adriatic League’s MVP the following year.

Jokic was also named the the league’s top prospect for the 2014-15 season, an honor given to the league’s best player under 22 years old.

As one of the more competitive leagues in Europe, the Adriatic League boasts recent alumni such as San Antonio’s Aaron Baynes, Washington’s Pero Antic and Brooklyn’s Bojan Bogdanovic. Its’ physicality makes the transition to the NBA smoother than most international leagues.

Jokic is highly regarded for his high basketball IQ, reliable jump shot and overall work ethic.

At 6-11 and 253 pounds, Jokic certainly has the frame to play center and the skill set to space the floor as he shot 35 percent from 3-point range last season.

Denver is set to add Jokic to an already heavy European frontline, with both Jusuf Nurkic and Joffrey Lauvergne expected back. Not quite as physical as Nurkic but with a more reliable jumper than Lauvergne, Jokic appears to be a happy medium between the two and would compliment their skill sets nicely.

According to Dempsey the Nuggets fully expect Jokic to be signed and on the roster for the Las Vegas Summer League in mid-July.