<sigh> Saw this one coming. Said before the season I'd take him over Capela and, of course, that's now no longer even a discussion. I've used the word transcendent to describe his game and the more I watch the more I feel he's more a finished product than a work-in-progress - yet he's 21! It's a bit perplexing. I'm not sure what to make of it because by definition it implies he's not far away from his ceiling, but everything continues to get better. Defense represents the low hanging fruit. Maybe it just means that offensively, for a 21 y/o, there are no weak links. That's pretty shocking given his well below avg, for the Association anyway, athleticism. He's skilled enough at just 21 to overcome what for most players is their calling-card at this age. Special. It's damning that it took the Nuggets 1/3 of the season before they started to run everything through him. So much for that whole "but the coaches see them in practice every day...." BS. Darrel Arthur has been calling him a "future hall-of-famer" for a while now and now Nug blogs are using his ascension, and last night, to comp him with Nugget all-timers. I really don't know who I would take to start a franchise, after Embiid, between Jokic, Towns, and Porzingis. It became an open-question for me a few months back - it's now a full-on internal debate between Towns and Jokic. I think if I had a guy who the offense was already going to run through (Harden) then it would be Towns but otherwise <gulp> as of today I'd take Joker. Might call it buying high, that's fine. I've been on his jock long enough that it feels ok. Feels like a really good poll question right about now.
This guy is one of the top 5 best passers in the NBA. He's prob the best passing center since Sabonis. Iv been really high on him for a while now and he just continues to produce. He's one of the few bigs that you can run an offense through and still be modern because of his passing and ability to stretch the floor. Offensively he had no weakness. He's prob the most skilled offensive big we've had in the NBA since prime Duncan and Yao but the difference is Yao and of course Duncan were much better defenders and as weird as it feels to type this both we're better athletes with much better body's. joker is really flabby looking almost like Marc Gasol. He's still behind Embiid in terms of potential because Embiid is just so damn huge and moves so damn well. It to mention having very good skills himself. But he's right up there with towns and porzingis. I still feel Porzingis has the most untapped potential. He's actually a very good athlete and is a very elite shooter form three. At 7'3 he's unlike anyone I have ever seen before. I guess his best comparisons is prob Ralph Sampson. I don't get the dirk comparisons other than there both white. Porzingis doesn't play like dirk at all.
Was there any word from that draft of the Rockets being interested in him? He'd be great for us were he available to us. Oh well, we'll always have that one Nick Johnson summer league dunk highlight.
That sure is some nice UCLA Cut ala Walton and Sabonis they are running through him in that vid. Sure seems to be overflowing with confidence and poise for a young age, too. He was under contract in Europe. Maybe problems buying him out? He didn't play the year after being drafted. Maybe he dropped, because he wouldn't play the first year.
Don't get to watch many Nugs games unless they're playing us but definitely want to watch this kid play.
that water polo one handed catches/rebounds and finishes are so amazing and effective that you start to wonder why other players dont use it...and such a soft touch around the rim... its beautiful
Jokic absolutely is Walton at UCLA. I knew I had seen it before. Channeling him. Another "ex-Rocket" (as I blame Morey for not trading up for Jokic) Hassan Whiteside is also in the mix here after he destroyed Noel and Philly last night.
Gasol is a much better defender but I think joker is the better offensive player when you factor in age. At 21 he's way ahead of we're Gasol was at that age. If I needed a center for this year I would still take Gasol but past that it's joker all day. But he does remind me of Gasol too hopefully he can learn to use his body and basketball IQ on defense like Gasol. His offensive game is like if Gasol was more aggressive. I always wondered what kind of numbers Marc could put up scoring wise if he had a scoring mentality. I think it would have made the griz a much better team if he did score and shoot more. Joker is the better rebounder though no doubt about that.
Haha, maybe that's why Morey didn't try to get Jokic too. Another manboobs? Marc is a better shooter. Jokic is a better passer. Actually he reminds me of Vlade Divac. Haven't watched enough of him to judge his flopping skill.
I hear you guys on all the Marc Gasol comps b/c you know...white...Int'l...slow...white...shoot well...Int'l...white...pass well...slow...white...white... Ok ok I jest. But factually, In 2007 when Marc was OLDER than Nikola is now, he had just entered the NBA draft. A year prior, at 21, he was averaging 10 mins and 3 ppg w/ Barcelona. Now, it's no secret that young guys can be underutilized in European leagues but it's a relevant data pt b/c it happened to be at the same age Jokic is this season. Succintly: At 21, an NBA Western Conf #8 seed is running their offense through Jokic. At 21, a top European team was giving Marc Gasol 10 mpg. = /Comp. Jokic is already peak Gasol offensively. I know many may not want to hear that but it's reality. Jokic's career PER is 23. Gasol's peak, this year, is 22. = /Comp. While I'll accept, on merit, that 21 y/o Jokic offensively = peak Gasol, who is he going to be when he's peak Jokic? That's my issue w/ the Gasol comp. If he reminds you of Gasol then you're placing an artificially low ceiling on him. And as my previous comment about his perplexing ceiling indicates, maybe that's fair. But I'll take the way way way over on the Gasol comp. WRT the options on a potential poll question. We can also make a case to interject Giannis b/c of what he projects to grow in to ultimately but I think if we keep it to guys who can play the 5 for all 70+ games that probably makes the most sense - just too much debate on the margin otherwise.
great post and pretty much spot-on.. i have very similar thoughts and have said the same in other threads. embiid is definitely the best big out of those 4 because he's elite on both ends. jokic's offensive efficiency is ridiculous. defense is a glaring weakness because of lateral movement, and this also contributes to his foul trouble. towns has much more potential on defense so you probably have to take towns over jokic to start a franchise with but as of right now, i'll take jokic over towns.
I gotta agree with @dream2clips that the Gasol comparison needs to note Gasol was 24yrs old as a rookie. Further, Gasol has never reached Jokic's current apg in any season. And when you look at per 36 minutes, it's ridiculous -- differences like this can mean Jokic is just flat out better at running the offense through him, like Walton/Sabonis. that said: Gasol passing highlights
