Jokić is willing to accept losing award eligibility! A re-evaluation is expected in a week to ensure a full and healthy return

On January 28th Beijing time, noted journalist Shams reported that Nuggets star Jokić has been out of action since December 29 because of left knee hyperextension combined with a bone bruise, and the team will conduct a reassessment of his injury in a week.

A few weeks back, Shams disclosed that the Nuggets were hopeful Jokić could make a comeback by the end of this month. Although it now seems unlikely he will meet that timeline, he also stated that the veteran center’s recovery has faced no setbacks and is progressing very smoothly, currently entering the “intensity ramp-up phase” of his return process.

Given Jokić’s enormous impact on the team, Denver was concerned about maintaining their playoff standing after his injury—especially after backup center Valančiūnas suffered a calf strain in his first start. Last season, the Nuggets went 4-8 in games without Jokić.

However, this season, the team has performed impressively even without their franchise MVP. Since Jokić’s knee injury sidelined him, the Nuggets have posted a strong 9-5 record and currently stand tied for second place in the Western Conference with a 31-15 record.

Thanks to the team’s strong play during Jokić’s absence and their priority on protecting his long-term health, the Nuggets are not rushing his return. The only downside to giving him extra time to fully recover is that it might cause him to miss the minimum 65 games required for this season’s award considerations.

If Jokić cannot return by the February 2 game against the Thunder, he will fall short of the 65-game minimum needed to qualify for season awards. But Shams pointed out that both Jokić and the Nuggets are willing to accept this trade-off to guarantee he comes back at 100% health and reduce the risk of re-injury.

Before his injury, Jokić was putting up MVP-caliber numbers. He averaged a career-high 29.6 points per game, while leading the league with 12.2 rebounds and 11.0 assists per game, and posted remarkable shooting splits of 60.5%/43.5%/85.3%.