Nikola Jokic Injury Update, Rumors on Timeline to Return to Nuggets After Knee Sprain

Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokić is reportedly looking to make his return from a knee sprain at the end of January, per ESPN's Shams Charania.

The news comes after The Athletic's Tony Jones reported Tuesday that the Nuggets are "optimistic" Jokić will be able to return from his knee sprain by mid-February at the latest.

"According to team sources, the hope is that Jokić is back and playing by, at worst, the All-Star break," Jones wrote.

Jones added that Jokić is "well underway in his rehabilitation and has been able to be aggressive with it."

Jokić has not played since suffering a hyperextended left knee during a Dec. 29 game against the Miami Heat.

The 2026 NBA All-Star weekend is set to take place in Los Angeles from Feb. 13 to Feb. 15.

The Nuggets said when initially announcing Jokić's injury that their star center would be re-evaluated in four weeks.

ESPN's Shams Charania reported at the time that Jokić would not require surgical repair on the injury, which also involved a bone bruise in the hyperextended knee.

Jokić, who has finished each of the last five seasons as either MVP or runner-up for the award, was on track for a sixth straight run prior to his injury.

The 30-year-old was averaging 29.6 points per game, while leading the NBA with 12.2 rebounds and 11 assists per contest, during the Nuggets' 22-10 start to the season.

Coach David Adelman said last weekend his team will be in "survival mode" until Jokić's return, especially given the roster has been missing other players including Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon and Christian Braun to their own injuries.

"The whole point of this, is just try to get through this month, win enough games that you wake up in February and go, 'Hey, we're still in the top six or whatever it may be,'" Adelman said Sunday (h/t the AP's Brian Mahoney).

The Nuggets have so far gone 2-2 since losing Jokić. Despite missing all five players from their starting lineup, Denver got a major boost with an overtime road win over Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers.

Denver is heading into Tuesday ranked No. 4 in the Western Conference with a 24-12 record. Should Jokić ultimately return after the All-Star break, the Nuggets could be tasked with staying afloat for 20 more games before his return.