3 franchise milestones Nikola Jokic could achieve with the Denver Nuggets in the 2021-22 NBA season

#2 Assists

Jokic passing out of a double team against the Clippers

Nikola Jokic's elite court vision and high basketball IQ helps him recognize defensive schemes and react accordingly, finding open looks for his teammates for easy buckets. The Joker is one of the most proficient stars in passing under duress as he ideally utilizes double teams and sometimes triple teams while kicking it out to his teammates just in time as the defense collapses.

His outlet passes are a thing of beauty as he plays the ideal quarterback, hitting his teammates in stride with perfection for easy layups or monsterous dunks. His ability to pass out of the post and in pick-and-roll situations gives the Nuggets plenty of options to choose from.

Jokic came into the league not being known as much as a facilitator, and as he grew into his role he became one of the most dominant passing big men that we have ever seen. He averaged 8.3 assists last season, with a career average of six assists. Judging by these numbers, it would be a safe bet that he would average at least seven or eight assists during the 2021-22 season.

Jokic currently sits in fifth position on the Nuggets' all-time assists leader list, 49 assists behind Ty Lawson. He will most likely cross both Lawson in fourth and Andre Miller in third if he manages to continue his good form while staying healthy.

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#1 Rebounds

Nikola Jokic battling for a rebound with Utah's Jordan Clarkson

Jokic's unique size and basketball IQ helps him judge a player's movement and the timing of when to jump for a rebound, as he comes down with the ball more often than not. His ability to rebound acts as a catalyst that sparks a Nuggets counter, this was perfectly portrayed when he caught a rebound and threw an outlet to a teammate with the same hand for an easy layup.

His ability to rebound comes to the fore in crucial playoff matchups against teams with elite centers such as the L.A. Lakers and Utah Jazz, where crucial second-point opportunities are few and far between.

Jokic has always been an elite rebounder since his debut, averaging an astonishing 9.8 rebounds in his six-year tenure in the league. If he manages to keep up with his career averages, he is bound to retire as the franchise's all-time leading rebounder. For now, he sits in sixth place, with the chance to climb up to third if he manages to average more than ten rebounds a game which he has done in three out of the six seasons he has played.

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