Nikola Jokic’s historic career has been characterized in part by the Nuggets’ painstaking, ongoing search for his backup — a center capable of holding down the fort when he’s not playing. This summer, that search led them to a trade with the Kings: Dario Saric to Sacramento, Jonas Valanciunas to Denver. As Valanciunas prepares for the most thankless job in the NBA, here’s a look back at the precedent of failure he’s trying to break.
Dec. 15, 2016: Jokic usurps Nurkic
Jusuf Nurkic became Jokic’s first backup center in unceremonious fashion, getting benched by Michael Malone 25 games into his third season.