NBA insider reveals likelihood of Nuggets-Lakers trade involving Nikola Jokic originally appeared on The Sporting News

On Feb. 2 of this past year, the Los Angeles Lakers agreed to one of the more stunning NBA trades in recent memory, acquiring Luka Dončić (plus Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris) from the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick.

Who’s to say that the Lakers, now under new ownership, aren’t capable of doing the same thing to bring more superstars to the City of Angels?

That person just might be The Athletic’s Dan Woike.

Woike was recently asked who the Lakers would choose between Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo and Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić — under the condition that both players were available and wanted to play in Los Angeles.

“I think the organization would reconsider its stance on the viability of three max players,” Woike wrote in his response. “If I had to pick, it’d be Jokić.”

Woike received a second question revolving around Jokić and Antetokounmpo — this time, about whether there are realistic chances of either being acquired in a trade. He quickly shut down that possibility but later clarified that anything could happen if either became a free agent.

“No, not really. The market would need to be way suppressed by a player saying they would simply walk to the Lakers in free agency so 28 other teams shouldn’t even consider bidding, and still the Lakers’ offer would be thin,” Woike wrote. “Now, 2027 in free agency, should either Giannis or Jokić make it there, could be interesting, especially if Dončić has the kind of season the Lakers expect out of him.”

Last year, the Lakers finished third in the Western Conference with a 50-32 record but were upset in the first round of the playoffs by the Minnesota Timberwolves. A deeper postseason run in 2025-26 could potentially convince free agents to join the Lakers as they look to claim a second championship during the 2020s.