Luka Dončić Rumors: Nuggets Eyed PG to Join Jokić, Kings Rejected Trade in 2018 Draft

The Denver Nuggets made a play for Luka Dončić in the 2018 NBA draft, according to longtime Nuggets insider Mike Singer.

Singer, who's now working for the team, divulged on the newest episode of Brian Windhorst's Hoop Collective podcast that Denver "had designs on pairing Nikola Jokić with Luka Dončić."

Per Singer, the Nuggets reached out to the Sacramento Kings, who had the No. 2 overall pick, about trading up and offered a package of Gary Harris and two first-round picks.

With the benefit of hindsight, Sacramento would've been better off taking that deal instead of doing what it actually did. Selecting Marvin Bagley III was one of the biggest draft whiffs in recent memory considering Dončić, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Trae Young were the next three players off the board.

Denver's offer was arguably less attractive than what the Mavericks gave up to get Dončić, though. The Atlanta Hawks got Trae Young and a protected first-rounder in 2019, which they used on Cam Reddish.

Harris has been a solid two-way guard across his 11 years in the league but clearly not the franchise cornerstone that Young quickly became in Atlanta. First-round picks from the Nuggets were of limited value at the time, too, because they had emerged as a playoff contender no longer picking in the lottery.

Singer said "we have a hell of a what-if" if Denver had been willing to include Jamal Murray in negotiations.

During the 2019 offseason, Singer reported the team was also resistant to overtures from the New Orleans Pelicans to give up Murray in an Anthony Davis swap.

The Nuggets won a title in 2023 with Murray playing a critical role in the postseason. That alone is enough to justify the faith the front office had in the dynamic guard.

Still, it's impossible not to ponder what the franchise could've achieved if Dončić had arrived right as Jokić was ascending to elite status.