In the 2018 NBA Draft, the Denver Nuggets made a bold attempt to secure Luka Dončić by trading up to the No. 2 overall pick. The Sacramento Kings, who held that selection, ultimately chose Marvin Bagley, while the Atlanta Hawks, selecting third, orchestrated a trade that sent Dončić’s draft rights to the Dallas Mavericks.
In exchange, the Hawks received the No. 5 pick, which became Trae Young, along with a 2019 first-round pick that turned into Cam Reddish. The Nuggets, however, had a vision of pairing Dončić with their franchise star, Nikola Jokić, and made efforts to explore the possibility of acquiring that No. 2 pick.
“The Nuggets knew that Vlade Divac was not particularly high on Luka Dončić,” explained Mike Singer during The Hoop Collective Podcast.
“And they had designs on pairing Nikola Jokić with Luka Dončić. On draft night in 2018, they tried. There was a call placed. There was a proposal, and the Nuggets attempted to get the No. 2 pick for Gary Harris and two first-round picks was what I was told.”
Singer emphasized the calculated nature of the move, revealing the Nuggets’ attempt to exploit Divac’s apparent lack of enthusiasm for Dončić. “You can roll your eyes at that price tag, but look in retrospect,” Singer said.
“The Kings ended up taking Marvin Bagley with the No. 2 pick. I’m not saying this trade was imminent. All I’m saying is this trade was discussed and considered because the Nuggets knew Vlade Divac was not particularly high on Luka Dončić, and they tried to exploit it.”
The story also hinted at an alternative, tantalizing scenario that could have reshaped NBA history.
“The wrinkle in this is if the Nuggets had ever been willing to part with Jamal Murray, we have a hell of a what-if in the annals of NBA history, but that did not happen,” Singer noted, highlighting that while Gary Harris and draft picks were part of the initial offer, Jamal Murray was never included.
This remarkable anecdote, shared by Singer – a former Denver Post reporter and current Nuggets employee – forms part of his upcoming book about Nikola Jokić, titled Why So Serious? Singer acknowledged the limitations of his perspective but stressed the significance of the information.
“I was not in the room,” he admitted. “I was not in the front office at the time. All I know is it was considered, explored, vetted, and I have somebody saying anonymously, ‘For 30 seconds, we thought we had Luka.’ Which is a gargantuan statement.”
The revelation underscores the Nuggets’ aggressive pursuit of greatness and highlights the potential for monumental “what-if” moments in NBA history.
What could have been a historic partnership between Dončić and Jokić remains one of the league’s most intriguing missed opportunities, reflecting the high stakes and unpredictability of the draft process.
