Can Jokic finish top 10 all time without a championship?

[bradybunch]

If Jokic continues his play for many more seasons, can he be the only top 10 player without a title? (I don't think there's a top 10 player without a title)

He's never had an all-star teammate. Is there a top 10 player that's never had an all-star teammate? This is quite unfortunate for Jokic and quite surprising, considering he'd be the perfect teammate for an elite offensive weapon. Free agents should be clamoring to play with Jokic.

We may be looking at an unprecedented situation. I suppose there's an unwritten rule that you have to win a title to be top 10, but that would be an unfair expectation for Jokic at this time.

[Sgt Major]

No.

[Cubbies2120]

Two questions, and if the answer to both is yes, then I think so:
1. Does he win 2 more MVPs?
2. Are his two best teammates injured again for the playoffs?

#2 is the biggest thing that would prevent him from winning a ring. No NBA player in history would win it all if you took their 2nd and 3rd best player off the team.

If they're healthy, and he can't get at least a ring out of it, it would be a big disappointment and IMO regardless of 4 MVPs or not, he wouldn't end top 10.

[bradybunch]

Two questions, and if the answer to both is yes, then I think so:
1. Does he win 2 more MVPs?
2. Are his two best teammates injured again for the playoffs?

#2 is the biggest thing that would prevent him from winning a ring. No NBA player in history would win it all if you took their 2nd and 3rd best player off the team.

If they're healthy, and he can't get at least a ring out of it, it would be a big disappointment and IMO regardless of 4 MVPs or not, he wouldn't end top 10.

So unlike all the other top 10 players of all time, you'd expect Jokic to be the only one to win a ring without an all-star teammate.

I get what you're saying, though. A completely healthy Nuggets team can definitely win a title.

[Harry Garris]

I mean he might be objectively one of the 10 most talented basketball players ever but he's never going to be top 10 in anyone's personal opinion without a title.

I do think he'll win a title eventually in his career, but probably not on the Nuggets. There isn't much indication from this franchise that they're going to surround Jokic with a team that's good enough to feasibly compete for a title any time soon.

[HoopsterJones]

That’s a tough one.

All of the consensus top 10 players of all time have won multiple championships. Without a chip, Jokic would need to win like 5 MVPs to be considered near the top 10.

[_NoMas]

Every player in the concensus top 10 has at least 2 titles, so I think he’s going to struggle to be recognised as top 10 all time without at least one.

Mannnn just give him one all star and watch what he does…

[Exp0sed]

Voted no tho I think it's quite likely he'll get his ring
you keep trying every year with his exceptional level of talent, you just need one incredible run where all the stars align (luck, health whatever) - a-la Dirk

that's probably the worst case scenario, where he tried for 10 seasons and eventually nab one
the better scenarios involve him having a better team around him

I think the Nuggets FO (and coach) have been very poor and I don't have confidence in them moving forward, perhaps it'll have to be on hix next contract and\or on a diff team

time will tell

his output is so high you really don't need all that much around him
The Nuggets with MPJ playing just 16 games and Murray being pretty bad are basically playing with 5-6 NBA level guys

not even talking about the G-league squad last season

Jokic\Gordon\KCP\Brown\Bones + MPJ and Murray is 7 players
Jeff Green is beyond washed and so is DAJ obviously, both aren't NBA level rn, not even bench level

Vlatko Cancar perhaps you can count as well as a very low-end rotation guy but still a dude who should be on an NBA roster so that's maybe 8. Braun as a rookie is not NBA level, he might be in the future but he sure isn't one now

with MPJ out they're playing 5-6 guys plus truly abysmal players

this team would look just fine with some more real depth, the net gain would be huge from eliminating all the truly scrubby mins they are getting from quite a few players they're playing real mins

My point is - it shouldn't be too hard to get a team featuring Prime Jokic to championship contender
which is precisely why all top 10 have rings

Top 10's are made in the playoffs not in the rs, if he never gets a ring there could be endless debate about "what ifs" but he absolutely needs championships to reach such a level\ranking no doubt about it

[Cubbies2120]

Two questions, and if the answer to both is yes, then I think so:
1. Does he win 2 more MVPs?
2. Are his two best teammates injured again for the playoffs?

#2 is the biggest thing that would prevent him from winning a ring. No NBA player in history would win it all if you took their 2nd and 3rd best player off the team.

If they're healthy, and he can't get at least a ring out of it, it would be a big disappointment and IMO regardless of 4 MVPs or not, he wouldn't end top 10.

So unlike all the other top 10 players of all time, you'd expect Jokic to be the only one to win a ring without an all-star teammate.

I get what you're saying, though. A completely healthy Nuggets team can definitely win a title.

Duncan won a ring in '03 where he had no all star teammates.

He had Parker, Ginobili and Robinson, but none of them were even close to their peak levels at that time.

He ended up winning more rings of course, but yes I'd expect him to get them ONE ring with no all-star teammates if he's dominant enough to win 4 MVP awards.

[Dutchball97]

Two questions, and if the answer to both is yes, then I think so:
1. Does he win 2 more MVPs?
2. Are his two best teammates injured again for the playoffs?

#2 is the biggest thing that would prevent him from winning a ring. No NBA player in history would win it all if you took their 2nd and 3rd best player off the team.

If they're healthy, and he can't get at least a ring out of it, it would be a big disappointment and IMO regardless of 4 MVPs or not, he wouldn't end top 10.

So unlike all the other top 10 players of all time, you'd expect Jokic to be the only one to win a ring without an all-star teammate.

I get what you're saying, though. A completely healthy Nuggets team can definitely win a title.

Jordan won without an all-star teammate in 1991 and 1998, LeBron did it in 2016, Duncan in 2003, Hakeem back to back in 1994 and 1995.

[BelgradeNugget]

If Jokic continues his play for many more seasons, can he be the only top 10 player without a title? (I don't think there's a top 10 player without a title).

No, I don't think so

I think the Nuggets FO (and coach) have been very poor and I don't have confidence in them moving forward, perhaps it'll have to be on hix next contract and\or on a diff team

I don't think Calvin Boot is bad GM. He took over for Connelly this year. While Connelly did a lot to build this team, his problem was he wasn't ready to make hard moves to improve team. Every Nuggets fan knew Barton didn't have role in this team if we are going to fight for championship. Everybody knew defense was a problem. Everybody loved Monte Morris. But trade has had to happened. Boot traded them for KCP to improve defense, signed Brown, drafted Braun to improve defense. We have better personnel than last year with the worst results.

I think Malone's time is ticking. He is on hot seat. Last two seasons nobody could criticized him due to injuries to Murray and MPJ. This year no excuses.

[MelTurpin]

Jokic is absolutely awesome, but people are a little casual about what being top 10 entails. They typically put 20 different guys in there, just like they put 20 different guys into their current-year list.

Jordan, Lebron, Kareem, Wilt, Duncan, Magic, Bird, Russell, Hakeem, Shaq, Steph, Kobe, Durant makes 13. Not to mention Dirk, K Malone, M Malone, KG. Could Jokic have a better career than one or 2 of them. Maybe, I guess. But it's hard for me to see him as objectively better than, say, Hakeem. The defense just isn't there.

[Exp0sed]

If Jokic continues his play for many more seasons, can he be the only top 10 player without a title? (I don't think there's a top 10 player without a title).

No, I don't think so

I think the Nuggets FO (and coach) have been very poor and I don't have confidence in them moving forward, perhaps it'll have to be on hix next contract and\or on a diff team

I don't think Calvin Boot is bad GM. He took over for Connelly this year. While Connelly did a lot to build this team, his problem was he wasn't ready to make hard moves to improve team. Every Nuggets fan knew Barton didn't have role in this team if we are going to fight for championship. Everybody knew defense was a problem. Everybody loved Monte Morris. But trade has had to happened. Boot traded them for KCP to improve defense, signed Brown, drafted Braun to improve defense. We have better personnel than last year with the worst results.

I think Malone's time is ticking. He is on hot seat. Last two seasons nobody could criticized him due to injuries to Murray and MPJ. This year no excuses.

Yeah, obviously I didn't man the Current GM i really liked his FA signings and even tho he was part of the Nuggets FO before, i have no idea what connection he had with the terrible max deal and other terrible decisions regarding extentsions and other moves

the point was, this "regime" that the current GM has also been a part of - has been pretty bad during Jokic's tenure

as for Malone, it sounds like wishful thinking to me
I would love that to be true but i'm not seeing any indication that he's on the hot seat whatsoever

NBA owners don't tend to "rock the boat" and Jokic is just so good they'll end up getting their 3-4th seed no matter what as long as he's playing

so firing Malone midseason..when Murray has yet to be himself and MPJ was only half available, doesn't sound like something an NBA owner would do, especially not to a long standing coach

perhaps another failure this season would be the straw that will break the camel's back but i'd be shocked tbh if it happend during the season

[mcvdang]

No one on the top 10 is without a ring.

In the center position alone, we know he's not better than: KAJ, Wilt, Bill Russell, Shaq, or Hakeem. Even if he wins two more MVPs or even one ring. That puts him at best top 6 at center.

I put him slightly above David Robinson and Ewing.

With the other positions for MJ, LeBron, Magic, Bird, Kobe, Duncan, Oscar...there's no room for him in the top 10. Hakeem and Shaq would it that list before him.

[SeattleJazzFan]

yes. title or bust people are morons. it's a team sport.

[Sgt Major]

Two questions, and if the answer to both is yes, then I think so:
1. Does he win 2 more MVPs?
2. Are his two best teammates injured again for the playoffs?

#2 is the biggest thing that would prevent him from winning a ring. No NBA player in history would win it all if you took their 2nd and 3rd best player off the team.

If they're healthy, and he can't get at least a ring out of it, it would be a big disappointment and IMO regardless of 4 MVPs or not, he wouldn't end top 10.

So unlike all the other top 10 players of all time, you'd expect Jokic to be the only one to win a ring without an all-star teammate.

I get what you're saying, though. A completely healthy Nuggets team can definitely win a title.

Duncan won a ring in '03 where he had no all star teammates.

He had Parker, Ginobili and Robinson, but none of them were even close to their peak levels at that time.

He ended up winning more rings of course, but yes I'd expect him to get them ONE ring with no all-star teammates if he's dominant enough to win 4 MVP awards.

Yeah, but Ginobili, Parker and Robinson were even then faaaaaaaaaaaaar above where MPJ, Murray and AG are at this point in time.

[Woodsanity]

You already know the answer come on now....

[Lockdown504090]

i dont think theres any way in hell he finishes without 2 rings unless he retires early for personal reasons. If theres a way to win with him, someone will figure it out.

[Cubbies2120]

So unlike all the other top 10 players of all time, you'd expect Jokic to be the only one to win a ring without an all-star teammate.

I get what you're saying, though. A completely healthy Nuggets team can definitely win a title.

Duncan won a ring in '03 where he had no all star teammates.

He had Parker, Ginobili and Robinson, but none of them were even close to their peak levels at that time.

He ended up winning more rings of course, but yes I'd expect him to get them ONE ring with no all-star teammates if he's dominant enough to win 4 MVP awards.

Yeah, but Ginobili, Parker and Robinson were even then faaaaaaaaaaaaar above where MPJ, Murray and AG are at this point in time.

In 2003? Idk, I'd take at least Murray over either of the guards there and DRob isn't debatable since he was on his last legs.

[NoDopeOnSundays]

No.

Everyone in the top 10 has won multiple titles, it would be a joke to place a non-title winner among them.