Overview

• At Denver’s media day, Nikola Jokić told reporters, “My plan is to be a Nugget forever,” signaling no interest in leaving.
• Los Angeles had preserved long-term flexibility for a potential run at Jokić by giving recent additions short two-year deals after extending Luka Dončić.
• Jokić declined a three-year, $212 million extension this offseason and is positioned to secure a far bigger deal by waiting until next year, with estimates near $293 million.
• Lakers president Rob Pelinka said the team will act on opportunities to chase a title now, citing the urgency of a window led by Dončić and LeBron James.
• BetUS lists the Lakers with the sixth-best championship odds, trailing Oklahoma City overall and sitting behind the Nuggets in the Western Conference.