“We Would All Be Fired”: Nikola Jokic Gives Brutal Reality Check on Elimination With a Clear Message on Nuggets Future

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The unprecedented rivalry between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets hit a pause with the stunning first-round exit that has sent shockwaves through the Mile High City. Against injuries, ejections, and petty tactics, the Wolves won 110-98 and have extended their all-time playoff record against Denver to 3-1. So they aren’t answering the burning questions. That would be left for three-time MVP Nikola Jokic. After the heated viral moments he made this series, he was uncharacteristically somber at his final post-game presser of the season. Yet, his usual bluntness was far from dull.

Jokic had a straightforward assessment of the Denver Nuggets’ current standing against most teams in the league. When asked about the team’s proximity to championship contention after their season ended prematurely, Jokic did not mince words. “We just lost in the first round. I think we are far away,” Jokic stated.

His most striking comment, however, gave a glimpse into the high-stakes pressure of his home basketball culture, where consequences for such a failure would be much swifter. He was asked if changes are coming to the Nuggets, and he said, “That’s not my decision. Definitely, if we were in Serbia, we would all be fired.”

Considering the Nuggets fired a coach mid-playoffs last year, this comment should send a chill down a few spines. Maybe The Joker does want some changes. Maybe he’s joking (he has an dark sense of humor). Maybe it’s just a reality check to the lofty aspirations they had until Jokic’s injury at the end of 2025. Yet despite his ‘firing’ comment, Jokic spent most of the presser refusing to blame his injured teammates for the loss.

Instead of a deep playoff run, the Nuggets are left searching for answers. A big one that needs answering isNikola Jokic’s future with the team. Despite the immediate sting of the loss, Jokic didn’t waste his time declaring his personal commitment to the organization.

When questioned if the disappointing finish altered his long-term outlook, specifically with a massive extension looming this offseason, Jokic answered two separate questions with the same sentence: “I still want to be Nuggets forever.”

That may be an indication about how the offseason will go for Jokic at least. But the fate of the rest of the team is still up in the air.