2025 Nikola Jokic Next Team Odds: Where Will "the Joker" Land?

After the Denver Nuggets fired NBA Championship-winning head coach Michael Malone and general manager Calvin Booth, the focus immediately turned to superstar center Nikola Jokic, the three-time MVP who many consider to be the best basketball player in the world.

The Nuggets are extremely unlikely to trade Jokic because he’s the best player in the league, and it would be impossible to get anyone to fully replace him in a trade. But at the same time, the Dallas Mavericks traded a top-five player Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers this season, so anything is possible in this league. There’s also a chance “The Joker” asks for a trade, although it is unlikely given how loyal he has been to the Nuggets for the past decade.

In the very unlikely event, the Nuggets trade Jokic, then Bookies.com veteran oddsmaker Adam Thompson has put together hypothetical NBA betting odds for who the Serbian superstar’s next team could be.

Odds above have been created by Bookies.com Senior Handicapper Adam Thompson and do not reflect odds that may be available on legal betting apps.

Chicago Bulls (+500)

The Chicago Bulls are a young team that has made noise late in this NBA season. Armed with several intriguing young players and draft picks, the Bulls should be making a call to the Nuggets to see what Jokic’s availability is this offseason. Plus, trading Jokic to the Bulls gets him as far away from the Western Conference as possible.

Brooklyn Nets (+525)

The Brooklyn Nets acquired a ton of draft picks when they traded Kevin Durant, Mikail Bridges, and Kyrie Irving in recent years. The team has held onto these picks as they are going through a rebuild, but Jokic is the type of player that you would move every pick you have for.

Houston Rockets (+600)

The Houston Rockets made a gigantic leap this season, and the team looks like a title contender for years to come. With so many young players and draft picks that could be offered, the Nuggets would have to at least listen if the Rockets called them up and asked about Jokic.

San Antonio Spurs (+625)

The San Antonio Spurs already have a star center in Victor Wembanyama, who figures to be the face of the league for many years to come. But imagine teaming him up with Jokic? The Spurs also have tons of young players and draft picks that the Nuggets could be intrigued by.

Golden State Warriors (+750)

The Golden State Warriors will be a title contender as long as Steph Curry is still shooting the lights out. The team is playing elite basketball these days after trading for Jimmy Butler, but imagine they added Jokic to the mix. They likely don’t have enough assets to get him, but just the thought of teaming up with Jokic and Curry is exciting.
 

Related: 2025 Denver Nuggets Next Head Coach Odds

Los Angeles Lakers (+800)

Let’s face it, anytime a superstar player is potentially available, they get linked to the LA Lakers. The team probably doesn’t have the assets to acquire someone like Jokic, but at the same time, no one thought they would get Doncic, either, and they were able to swing that blockbuster deal. If GM Rob Pelinka were able to get Jokic in a trade, the team would have to build a statue of him outside of Crypto.com Arena.

Oklahoma City Thunder (+1000)

The OKC Thunder play in the same division as the Nuggets, so they would likely be a long shot to get Jokic in a trade. But at the same time, if the Thunder offered the Nuggets a combination of young center Chet Holmgren plus a bunch of first-round picks, it might make the Nuggets at least think about it. Imagine a combination of Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander? That would be an NBA Champion for many years to come.

Detroit Pistons (+1200)

The Detroit Pistons are another one of the NBA’s young teams on the rise. The team has several young prospects they could potentially move in a trade, plus future draft picks, in a move for Jokic. Plus, moving Jokic to a team like the Pistons would get him very far away from the Western Conference.

Los Angeles Clippers (+1400)

The LA Clippers likely don’t have the assets needed to make the Thunder interested in moving Jokic to them, but a veteran team like the Clippers, who play in a new stadium with the best player in the league, would be very interesting to at least think about.

The Field (+900)

If Jokic were to be made available, then any of the NBA’s 29 other teams should be making a call to the Nuggets and inquiring about the cost to trade for him.