Nuggets News: Jamal Murray Uncertainty Forces Nikola Jokic to Plot NBA Reunion With Serbia’s Olympics Hero

The Nuggets had a shocking end to their glory days, failing to defend their NBA title last season. While everyone expected the team to strengthen the roster in the off-season, they’ve instead struggled to keep the existing roster in place. On top of it, Denver’s star point guard, Jamal Murray, looked completely out of form in Paris. Amid this uncertain situation, Nikola Jokic & Co. have pulled up the drawing board to safeguard next season, with a Serbian reunion.

Team Serbia had a standout performance in the Paris Olympics, spearheaded by the Joker and Bogdan Bogdanovic. Apart from these established NBA stars, the hoops fans witnessed an impressive display from two guards, Aleksa Avramović and Vasilije Micić. While the Hawks already planned a Serbian reunion with Avramović, teaming him up with Bogdanovic, now, the Nugs are seemingly gearing up to make their move too!

While the Hawks have to force a buy-out to trade Avramović, Denver simply has to ring up and negotiate with Charlotte. Nevertheless, NBA contributor, Marc Stein reported on his website, “The Denver Nuggets reportedly have interest in Vasilije Micić of the Charlotte Hornets. Micic is close friends with Nuggets star Nikola Jokic. The two are teammates on the Serbian national team.”

Vasilije Micić made his NBA debut last season, playing 60 games, 30 games with OKC Thunder and then the Hornets. Considering Jamal Murray‘s unreliable form in the off-season, the 2023 NBA Champions can rope in the 30-year-old Micić as a backup point guard. Murray, who is known for his shooting prowess and unreal ability to score buckets, failed miserably in Paris, representing Canada. He ended the tournament, averaging 6 points and a poor 29.0% from the field and 14.3% from the arc.

Meanwhile, the linked Serbian guard put up an all-rounder effort coming off the bench. Micić averaged 13.3 points and 4.5 assists in Paris to help the Nikola Jokic-led side fetch a Bronze medal. He could be a reliable backup also considering Jamal Murray’s failure in the Conference semi-final, averaging 18.4 points with two letdowns in Game 2 and Game 6, scoring 10 and 8 points, respectively.

Where will Vasilije Micić fit in with Nikola Jokic & Co. in the NBA?

In the off-season, the Nuggets lost one of their guards from the Championship roster, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. KCP is an impressive talent with perimeter shooting and defensive abilities. And instead of him, the Nuggets surprisingly roped in Russell Westbrook under the request of the Joker. However, Westbrook has been constantly criticized for his shooting ability, which has considerably gone down in the last 5 seasons.

That’s where the Serbian veteran Vasilije Micić could come in handy. After a decade-long professional career in Europe, Micić has attained fame for his traditional point guard abilities. Sports Illustrated, analyzing his previous season, provided Grade B for Nikola Jokic’s compatriot. Moreover, the report hailed the Serbian’s play-making ability and fabulous passing techniques. Notably, they also added that the guard’s stat line would rarely “wow” the community, but it would be enough to make the necessary dent.

However, there are limitations around the veteran’s defensive ability. Despite a 6 ‘5 frame, Micić lacks an elite wingspan which would restrict from guarding the opponents’ offense. Nevertheless, the 30-year-old could act as a backup center for the team while Jamal Murray and Russell Westbrook take care of the business in the starting lineup.

Before leaving, do watch the Dual Threat Show hosted by BG12 where Bulldogs’ Asia Avinger details her experience with Kobe Bryant, her WNBA ROTY picks, and more in the video below.