Forget Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets star has just managed what only three players have bettered in 30 years
Last season clearly demonstrated the Denver Nuggets need to find relief for Nikola Jokic.
The three-time MVP struggled with workload management while the Nuggets faltered during non-Jokic minutes throughout the campaign.
The demanding schedule forced Nikola Jokic to play a career-high 36.7 minutes per game, creating an unsustainable burden that NBA journalist Rachel Nichols deemed unacceptable.
Despite delivering triple-double averages of 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds, and 10.2 assists, Jokic showed signs of fatigue.
Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post
Jonas Valanciunas achieves historic EuroBasket milestone with elite company
The exhaustion from last season contributed to Jokic’s disappointing EuroBasket 2025 performance, where Serbia was eliminated in the round of 16.
His early tournament exit demonstrated how NBA workload affects international competition performance.
The Nuggets appear to have found their solution by signing backup center Jonas Valanciunas, who just showcased his continued effectiveness during EuroBasket 2025, even though Lithuania fell to Greece in the quarterfinals.
His 24 points and 15 rebounds against Greece created tournament history.
The performance marked his sixth EuroBasket game with 20+ points and 10+ rebounds, making him just the fourth player to achieve those numbers over the past 30 years.
Valanciunas joined an elite group featuring Dirk Nowitzki, Pau Gasol, and Andrei Kirilenko.
