The offseason fun of Nikola Jokic has been well chronicled, including on this very blog. After being eliminated in the second round of the playoffs by the Timberwolves, videos and images of the Joker began popping up over in Europe, enjoying life. He was seen attending horse races with his horses in Sweden, then rafting with friends in Bosnia, and finally partying and dancing in Serbia.
Somewhere along the way, it was confirmed that Jokic is part of the initial Team Serbia roster ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics, which begin in July. Jokic will, of course, be headlining that Serbian squad that took home a silver medal in 2016, but another big name from the NBA on the roster belongs to Bogdan Bogdanovic.
Jokic and Bogdanovic to link up on Team Serbia this summer
Bogey has become a very talented player for the Atlanta Hawks, a great scorer and ballhandler who made a bid to win the NBA’s 6th Man of the Year award this season. The Serbian connection between Bogey and Jokic cannot be understated, they’ve been friends for years and have played together for their country many times.
Nuggets fans have often fantasized about the team finding a way to bring Bogdanovic to the Nuggets where the two countrymen could make magic together. Bogey would be a great fit in Denver and he’s still 31 and playing on a solid contract with three years left.
Could a Bogdanovic to Denver trade work?
This offseason has already seen trade speculation and hypotheticals that involve bringing the Hawks shooting guard to the Nuggets. Those deals would almost certainly cost the Nuggets Michael Porter Jr., but that may be a price the team is ultimately willing to pay.
The Joker and Bogey rumors will only intensify if the pair plays well in the Olympics this summer, especially if the Hawks start blowing up the team and decide to rebuild – which seems like a fairly realistic option. But those rumors are already growing louder as on Sunday, the two were spotted hanging out together at a horse race in Serbia.
Great scenes in Sombor 🇷🇸 ahead of the Olympic Games #Paris2024
Bogdan Bogdanović lifting the trophy after Nikola Jokić's horse Amsterdam won the race 🏆#NBASerbiapic.twitter.com/8QxPPLJgA7
— NBA Serbia (@NBASrbija) June 16, 2024
In fact, that’s Bogey holding up the trophy after Jokic’s horse won. The two clearly have a close bond and we already know they have a strong connection on the court. If the Nuggets are looking to deal MPJ for depth, the Hawks and Bogdanovic seem like a great place to start.
