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Denver Nuggets’ championship summer too short for Nikola Jokic

The championship run came with a cost for Nikola Jokic.

The NBA Finals and subsequent celebrations — first the parade he didn’t want to attend until he did and later a rowdy night in Las Vegas — prevented Jokic from returning to Serbia until the middle of June. He returned to Denver over the weekend.

“I think it’s actually (the) opposite,” Jokic answered Monday when asked if this offseason was the most fun of his NBA career.

“Because we played two and a half extra months.”

He seemed to make the most of his reduced time at home. There was a rafting trip, where he was filmed doing a flip into the water, nights enjoying live music with his loved ones and no shortage of horse races. The fun ended this weekend when work came calling, but the Nuggets tried to allow their superstar time and space to unwind.

“We all kind of left him alone,” Kroenke Sports and Entertainment vice chairman Josh Kroenke said.

“On the biggest stage that basketball has, I think the world got to know Nikola Jokic the person. I think he’s an unbelievably special person. For him to get away from basketball, be with his family and reconnect with who he is fundamentally, I think, is only going to be a benefit for one the Nuggets and two for basketball as a whole, because he comes back fresh.”

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The exception was Aaron Gordon. The Nuggets forward didn’t just check in with his teammate. He traveled to Sombor, Jokic’s hometown, to spend some quality time. Gordon enjoyed the fresh food, horse racing and pedestrian friendly town so much he asked to spend an extra day with the Jokics, a request that was granted.

“It’s just a beautiful town,” Gordon said. “His way of life is really amazing. I can understand why he’s trying to get out of here.”

Gordon added there was a productive part of the trip, with the two getting in a couple of workouts, though not too many. Jokic said he touched the ball “a couple of times” this offseason. Jamal Murray didn’t buy it, shaking his head throughout Jokic’s answer. Michael Malone and the rest of the Nuggets will get their first look at any rust that accumulated Tuesday when the team opens training camp Tuesday in San Diego.

“I made it a point not to be a helicopter parent,” Malone said of the offseason.

“I wanted to give those guys room because it was a really short offseason. I wanted to trust in them that they can celebrate and have the summer they had, while also making sure they get their work in. I guess we’ll find out tomorrow at practice if guys have been getting any work in or not.”

Jokic appreciated the space during an especially short offseason.

“They always (are) really respectful to me,” Jokic said. “That’s why I love the organization from coaches to ownership to the players. They always give me the respect, and I really appreciate it. I can just say thank you.”

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