Nikola Jokic Wants To Be Nuggets Tough Leader

Merlin sees Nikola Jokić admitting he still has a leadership step to take. The 31-year-old called out the need to "be bad guy" and "say the hard things," admitting he sometimes worries if teammates will like him. That confession arrives while he is putting up 28.1 points, 12.6 rebounds and 10.5 assists per game, shooting 57.4 percent and 38.9 percent from deep, as Denver sits 43-28 and battling for position in the West amid a 14-15 stretch and injury issues. Merlin notes that legends can still learn new spells. Jokić already carries a championship, three MVPs and a unique on-court gravity. If he adds tougher, candid leadership, the Nuggets could tighten up late-season consistency and become a fiercer playoff force. If he does not, their peak ceiling stays high but brittle.