Nuggets coach wouldn't trade Jokic 'for anyone in the world'
Following the Denver Nuggets' lopsided victory over the Toronto Raptors on Monday, head coach Mike Malone gushed over his rookie.
No, the subject of Malone's praise was not last summer's No. 7 pick, Emmanuel Mudiay, but rather the 41st pick in the 2015 draft, Nikola Jokic.
QUOTE OF THE YEAR #Nuggets @nuggets pic.twitter.com/YIQu7RRERV
— Aniello Piro (@aniello_piro) February 2, 2016
"I wouldn't trade (Jokic) for anyone in the world," the Nuggets bench boss said of the 20-year-old Serbian.
Before we blame Malone's seemingly temporary insanity on Denver's thin air, consider the 6-foot-10 center's stat line versus the red-hot Raptors - 27 points on 12-of-18 shooting, 14 rebounds, four assists, and a block.
Related: Jokic's career night helps Nuggets end Raptors' 11-game win streak
Not bad for a kid who gets less than 20 minutes of playing time on a nightly basis.
Nevertheless, it's probably best that Malone isn't the Nuggets' general manager, because turning down a trade for Karl-Anthony Towns, Kristaps Porzingis, or Jahlil Okafor - all of whom Malone should know by name by now - in exchange for Jokic is likely a front office folly anyone would hope to avoid.