NBA Notes: Nuggets, Nikola Jokic, Thunder, Isaiah Hartenstein, Magic

Nuggets

The Nuggets still have Nikola Jokic. That alone gives them a chance.

But Logan Struck of NBA On SI argues Denver shouldn’t confuse having Jokic with having an unlimited championship window.

Jokic is 31 and remains among the NBA’s very best players, but Denver hasn’t returned to the Western Conference finals since winning the championship in 2023. The Nuggets also largely brought back the same group after a first-round playoff exit, with restricted free agent Peyton Watson’s future still unresolved.

There’s plenty to like. Jamal Murray remains Jokic’s co-star, Aaron Gordon is an ideal complement, and Cameron Johnson and Christian Braun give Denver quality pieces around them.

The question is whether that’s enough to beat younger Western powers such as Oklahoma City and San Antonio over seven games.

Struck also points to Jokic’s contract situation. He has passed on extension opportunities the past two summers, though there’s an obvious financial reason for doing so, as waiting could put him in position for a substantially larger deal.

Still, the larger point stands. Jokic’s prime isn’t something Denver can assume will last forever.

At some point, running it back stops being patience and starts becoming a gamble.

Thunder

The Thunder didn’t add Thomas Sorber or draft Aday Mara to replace Isaiah Hartenstein.

They may, however, make his regular season considerably easier.

Ivan White of Thunder On SI notes that Oklahoma City suddenly has significantly more size after Sorber’s return from a torn ACL and the addition of Mara. That should allow the Thunder to lighten Hartenstein’s workload after calf issues limited him to 47 games last season.

Hartenstein averaged 24.2 minutes and remains an important part of Oklahoma City’s championship hopes. But with Chet Holmgren, Jaylin Williams, Sorber and Mara available, the Thunder won’t necessarily need to lean on him nearly as heavily during the 82-game grind.

It could also allow Oklahoma City to experiment more frequently with two-big lineups.

For the Thunder, that’s the luxury of depth. Hartenstein can remain important without having to be indispensable every night.

Magic

The Magic changed coaches this summer. Now they need the results to change, too.

Austin Dobbins of Magic On SI asked several writers what would constitute a successful first season for new coach Sean Sweeney, and the general answer was pretty straightforward: Orlando needs to show tangible postseason progress.

The Magic have lost in the first round three consecutive years, including blowing a 3-1 series lead against Detroit last season. Dobbins believes Sweeney should be expected to win a playoff series while building a more effective offense around Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Desmond Bane.

Matt Hanifan similarly pointed toward advancing beyond the first round, while Jeremy Brener wrote that anything short of a playoff-series victory would make it difficult to call Sweeney’s debut season a success.

Ethan Skolnick offered a slightly different measuring stick, suggesting a top-six finish would represent progress in a crowded Eastern Conference, with the playoff matchup helping determine reasonable expectations from there.

Different standards, same basic idea: Orlando didn’t change coaches to stay in the same place.