Jokic to play for Serbia this summer

Nikola Jokic is set to spend part of his offseason with Serbia, not on rest. Serbia coach Dusan Alimpijevic said this week that the Denver Nuggets center should be available for both the July and August windows of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 European Qualifiers. Heavy reported the decision on May 22, citing Alimpijevic’s comments, and FIBA published the same expectation in a May 22 report. The timing matters for Denver because Jokic’s international plans arrive as the Nuggets head into an offseason already clouded by trade speculation around other core players. A May 22 Denver Post report said Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon are among the players Denver could consider moving as it looks for salary relief and a reshaped roster around Jokic. (heavy.com) ### What exactly did Serbia’s coach say about Jokic? Dusan Alimpijevic told Mozzart Sport that Jokic “should be available for both the July and August windows,” according to FIBA’s May 22 report. FIBA said the coach described Jokic as being in regular contact and said “nothing was ever questionable from the very beginning.” (denverpost.com) Yahoo Sports, aggregating a HoopsHype item on May 22, also reported that Jokic will play in the July and August windows. Eurohoops separately said Jokic had been confirmed as part of Serbia’s plans for those appearances. ### Which games is this pointing to? FIBA said Serbia is scheduled to play Switzerland on July 2 and Bosnia and Herzegovina in Belgrade on July 5 in the next qualifying window. (fiba.basketball) Eurohoops reported that Serbia is 2-2 in Group C and is trying to secure passage to the second stage of the European qualifiers for the 2027 World Cup in Qatar. (sports.yahoo.com) FIBA also said the second window will be played at the end of August. The federation’s report added that Serbia has friendlies with France later in the summer. ### How much has Jokic already played for Serbia? Heavy said Jokic has represented Serbia’s senior team since 2016 and has appeared in seven international events. (fiba.basketball) The report said he played at the 2025 EuroBasket and the 2024 Paris Olympics, where FIBA said he made the All-Star Five after helping Serbia win bronze. During EuroBasket 2025, Heavy said Jokic averaged 22.3 points, 9.0 rebounds and 4.2 assists across six games. (fiba.basketball) At the 2024 Olympics, the same report said he averaged 18.8 points, 10.7 rebounds and 8.7 assists in six games. ### Why does this intersect with Denver’s offseason? The Denver Post reported on May 22 that Denver’s offseason “predicament” has fueled questions about possible returns if the team moves Murray or Gordon. (heavy.com) The report framed Murray, Gordon and Cam Johnson as players Denver could trade for “reasonably positive value.” Spotrac lists Murray’s 2026-27 salary at $50.1 million and Gordon’s at $31.98 million. (heavy.com) Sports Illustrated, citing ESPN’s Bobby Marks, reported earlier this month that Denver projects to sit around $223 million in salary, just above the second apron. ### Does Jokic’s decision change any of that? No report reviewed said Jokic’s Serbia commitment changes Denver’s trade plans. (denverpost.com) What it does do is set a firmer outline for his offseason calendar: July and August will include national-team duty if health permits, according to Alimpijevic. (spotrac.com) Serbia’s next confirmed dates are July 2 against Switzerland and July 5 against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Belgrade, with the August qualifier window still to come. (fiba.basketball)