What a fairytale story it will have been if Luka Doncic was drafted by the Nuggets, who took Nikola Jokic within the 2014 draft.
In 2018, Denver tried to commerce as much as the No. 2 total decide with Luka Doncic their goal choice.
The Kings held the No. 2 decide that 12 months and picked Marvin Bagley, whereas the Hawks traded down from No. 3, sending the draft rights for Doncic to Mavs for the No. 5 decide – which grew to become Trae Younger and a primary spherical decide in 2019 that grew to become Cam Reddish.
“The Nuggets knew that Vlade Divac was not significantly excessive on Luka Doncic,” Mike Singer, a former Denver Submit reporter and present worker of the Nuggets, defined on The Hoop Collective Podcast. “They usually had designs on pairing Nikola Jokic with Luka Doncic. On draft night time in 2018, they tried. There was a name positioned. There was a proposal and the Nuggets tried to get the No. 2 decide for Gary Harris and two first spherical picks was what I used to be advised.
“You possibly can roll your eyes at that price ticket, however look looking back. The Kings ended up taking Marvin Bagley with the No. 2 decide. I’m not saying this commerce was imminent. All I’m saying is that this commerce was mentioned and regarded as a result of the Nuggets knew Vlade Divas was not significantly excessive on Luka Doncic they usually tried to use it.
“The wrinkle in that is if the Nuggets had ever been prepared to half with Jamal Murray, we now have a hell of a what-if within the annals of NBA historical past, however that didn’t occur.”
Having a younger Doncic and Jokic on the identical group would have been one thing of magnificence, and who is aware of, they might have been nonetheless taking part in collectively to this present day.
“I used to be not within the room,” Singer added. “I used to be not within the entrance workplace on the time. All I do know is it was thought of, explored, vetted, and I’ve any person saying anonymously ‘For 30 seconds, we thought we had Luka.’ Which is a gargantuan assertion.”
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