The Dallas Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki sparked a fire last week by saying he would like to see Luka Doncic And Nikola Jokic Both players teamed up in Dallas at one point in their careers. While both players have had success, people have talked about the possibility of them teaming up one day.
ESPN’s Tim McMahon appeared on “The Hoop Collective” podcast with Brian Windhorst and Tim Bontemps and was asked if the two would ever play on the same team together. McMahon didn’t necessarily deny it.
“They’re buddies,” McMahon began. “Every All-Star game, they’re playing pranks on each other… I don’t see how that could happen. The Nuggets don’t have the assets to pull off a blockbuster trade, and it would certainly have to be a historic trade to get Luka Doncic. Same thing with Dallas. It’s always going to be the case, maybe toward the end of their careers, or toward the end of Joker’s career… For a lot of reasons, I would say the likelihood is extremely low. But they’re really good buddies. Like when the Nuggets come to town, Joker is at Luka’s for dinner, and vice versa when the Mavs go to Denver.”
READ MORE: The X-factor that could change the Dallas Mavericks
Any trade between the teams for the two superstars is extremely unlikely given each team’s limited assets going forward, as McMahon mentioned. The Mavericks only have control over their 2025, 2026 and 2031 first-round picks over the next seven years, while the Nuggets have their first-round picks in 2026, 2028, 2030 and 2031. Teams can’t trade their first-round picks in consecutive years, making draft capital an unlikely venture here.
Doncic has two years plus a player option remaining on his current deal and can sign a supermax extension as early as next offseason, while Jokic has three years plus a player option remaining on his contract. The 2027 offseason, should Jokic decline that player option, seems like the closest the two teams could get to teaming up. A trade would likely be on the table as well, just so either team can free up the salary cap space needed to bring in another superstar.
Jokic joked during the All-Star break that if Doncic ever got upset with Dallas, he’d be welcome back in Denver, but Dallas has gone the extra mile to surround its Slovenian superstar with as much talent as possible. They traded for Kyrie Irving in 2023, Daniel Gafford and P.J. Washington at last year’s trade deadline, and Klay Thompson this offseason, all to give Doncic ideal fits. Recently drafted players like Dereck Lively II and Olivier-Maxence Prosper are being drafted without considering their potential fit with Doncic.
The idea of Jokic and Doncic on the same team would be terrifying for other teams. Both Balkans are the best passers in the NBA and will be competing for MVP honors in the future. Jokic has won three of the last four MVP awards, but Doncic is riding high after his run to the NBA Finals.
READ MORE: Is Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic already a Hall of Famer?
Stay with Mavericks Game Day to know more FREE Dallas Mavericks Coverage throughout the NBA offseason
Follow MavericksGameday on Twitter and Austin Veazey on Twitter
