New Lakers owners might be 'dead set' on a Nikola Jokic trade

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

New Lakers owners might be 'dead set' on a Nikola Jokic trade

By Ernesto Cova | Last updated Aug 21, 2026 2:37 PM ET

The Los Angeles Lakers are about to switch hands for the second time in less than two years.

Notably, that might not be the only big move about to take place in Sunny California.

According to Lakers insider Anthony F. Irwin of Audacy, the new regime might come with one clear target to pair with Luka Doncic.

With all the rumors surrounding the Denver Nuggets, he thinks Nikola Jokic might be the next Hall of Famer to wear purple and gold.

The Lakers might pursue Nikola Jokic

“All I’ll say is if/when the Lakers get their ownership situation figured out, a lot of the organization’s eyes are going to be dead-set on Denver,” Irwin shared on his X account.

All I'll say is if/when the Lakers get their ownership situation figured out, a lot of the organization's eyes are going to be dead-set on Denver.
— Anthony F. Irwin (@AnthonyIrwinLA) August 20, 2026

Jokic has always been vocal about his desire to stay in Denver, but the Nuggets aren't acting like a team that's trying to maximize their championship window.

They just moved on from Peyton Watson, and they might be the thinnest contender in the Western Conference; they have no depth and are in a tough spot financially.

Jokic is still in his prime and is probably the best big man in the world, and pairing him with Doncic's unstoppable scoring and playmaking ability.

Of course, pulling this off would require a massive return for Denver, with all trade talks potentially starting and ending with Austin Reaves and multiple draft picks.

Also, Jokic would likely have to give the team his blessing or actively request to be moved.

That said, landing Luka Doncic seemed impossible, and the Lakers have always had a knack for landing the best players in the game.

Ernesto Cova

Ernesto is a bilingual (English-Spanish) sports writer with over eight years of experience covering major leagues such as the NBA, NFL, and MLB. Ernesto’s work focuses on providing insightful, up-to-date coverage of sports, blending his expertise in sports psychology with a passion for analyzing player performance, team dynamics, and trade developments across various sports leagues

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