George Karl takes swipe at Denver over hurting Nikola Jokic’s top-10 case

It’s been reported that Nikola Jokic’s future with the Denver Nuggets may be on the rocks. Last season, the Nuggets were eliminated in the first round by the Minnesota Timberwolves.

This after they finished with the third-best record in the West at 54-28.

Meanwhile, former Nuggets coach George Karl is chastising the franchise for apparently failing Jokic. He said on X, formerly Twitter, that Jokic could be a top-10 player if they had taken better care of him.

“Some franchises aren’t capable of supporting their legends the right way.

Jokic was on a path to becoming one of the Top 10 players to ever play basketball.

That wasn’t realistic in Denver,” Karl posted.

Some franchises aren’t capable of supporting their legends the right way.

Jokic was on a path to becoming one of the Top 10 players to ever play basketball.

That wasn’t realistic in Denver.

— George Karl (@CoachKarl22) August 20, 2026

Jokic has played 11 years with Denver since the 2015-16 season. He is a three-time NBA MVP and helped lead the Nuggets to the NBA title in 2023. Jokic has been heralded as one of the most efficient and playmaking centers in the game. Additionally, Jokic is praised for his high basketball intelligence.

On the flip side, he’s been criticized for not being an explosive defender and not being in the best of shape at times.

Meanwhile, the argument is that Jokic needs more elite seasons and more titles to enhance his greatness.

Karl coached the Nuggets from 2005 to 2013. They reached the playoffs each year. In 2013, he was named the NBA Coach of the Year. During his tenure, he coached Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson.

Ultimately, Karl left Denver on a sour note after a contract-extension debacle, first-round losses, and the departure of then-GM Masai Ujiri.

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