Nikola Jokic has established himself as the best player in basketball over the last few years. With his three MVP awards, a championship ring and a Finals MVP trophy, and some of the most unfathomable stats of all time, he’s earned his respect from the rest of the league and has put the Denver Nuggets in a position to compete for a title year in and year out.
In this year’s NBA GM Survey, Jokic and the Nuggets found themselves as the top, or one of the top answers to 49 different questions. After re-tooling the roster to give Jokic the best team he’s had in three seasons, general managers around the league have taken note and seem to be well-aware that this team is dangerous this season.
What categories were Jokic and the Nuggets named in, and how often were they No. 1? Also, who in the Nuggets front office took part in this survey, as they don’t explicitly have one singular GM, and instead have the pairing of Ben Tenzer and Jon Wallace, neither of which have “general manager” in their title.
INDIVIDUAL CATEGORIES — STARRING NIKOLA JOKIC
Who will win the 2025-26 Kia MVP?
1. Jokić — 67%
If you were starting a franchise today and could sign any player in the NBA, who would it be?
3. Jokic — 3%
Which player forces opposing coaches to make the most adjustments?
1. Jokic — 57%
Who is the best center in the NBA?
1. Jokic — 97%
Highest percentage of total votes on position questions
1. Jokic — 19.3%
What was the most underrated player acquisition?
2. Cam Johnson — 13%
Who is the best international player in the NBA?
1. Jokic — 93%
Which player is the best passer?
1. Jokic — 80%
Which player has the best basketball IQ?
1. Jokic — 80%
Which player is the best leader?
3. Jokic — 10%
TEAM CATEGORIES
Which team will win the 2026 NBA Finals?
T-2. Denver — 7%
T-2. Cleveland Cavaliers – 7%
Western Conference rankings
Nuggets first place votes: 10%
Second place votes: 53%
Third place votes: 17%
Fourth place votes: 10%
Which team made the best overall moves this offseason?
3. Denver — 10%
Which team is the most fun to watch?
T-1. Denver – 27%
T-1. Oklahoma City Thunder – 27%
Which team has the best home-court advantage?
T-1. Denver – 43%
T-1. Oklahoma City Thunder – 43%
Which team will have the league’s most efficient offense this season?
3. Denver — 20%
The Nuggets trading away Michael Porter Jr. to Brooklyn also received votes as the most surprising move of the offseason. Jokic received some votes as the NBA’s most versatile player and the player that a GM would want to take a shot with the game on the line, but not enough votes to make it into the top three.
The league’s general managers also voted the roster construction rule as the one that needs to change the most. They cited that the first and second apron rules are too harsh, they want a cap discount for extending homegrown players that a team drafted, they want partial salaries to be allowed to be traded, and they want to make all minimum contracts the same. The NBA Draft schedule, game flow, and playoff format were other rules that received a notable amount of votes.
The clear theme of this survey is that the other 29 general managers in the NBA have a lot of respect for Jokic and the Nuggets. This team has put self in a prime position to bring another championship to the Mile High City, and that journey of doing so kicks off in two weeks when they open the season against the Golden State Warriors.
