One of the biggest early takeaways from EuroBasket is that Nikola Jokic looks like a different person. He has added strength and muscle, and somehow looks even bigger and more daunting on the court. But it appears to be functional size, as he has always gotten the jokes about being fat and pudgy, whereas now he looks shredded.
This transformation of sorts comes at the perfect time, as the Nuggets have added depth and versatility this offseason. Jokic should be able to lean into playing bully-ball and outmuscling his opponents more than ever.
Hopefully, the team can better manage his minutes and keep him fresh throughout games and over the course of the season.