Nikola Jokić isn’t back yet; he’s still out with a left knee hyperextension and bone bruise, and the current expectation is that he’s re‑evaluated in about a week, with an eye toward an early‑February return if there are no setbacks.

Quick Scoop: When will Jokic be back?

Here’s where things stand right now:

  • Jokić injured his left knee (hyperextension with a bone bruise) on December 29 in a game against the Miami Heat.
  • He has already missed about four weeks and more than a dozen games for the Nuggets.
  • Reports say he’s in the “ramp‑up” phase: doing on‑court work and basketball activities, but the team is increasing his workload slowly.
  • Denver has listed him as out for the latest game vs. the Detroit Pistons, with this being around his 15th–16th missed game.
  • Multiple outlets note that he will be re‑evaluated in roughly one week, and that early February 2026 is the most realistic target for his return if his knee responds well and there are no flare‑ups.

In forum‑style talk:
“He’s close, but they’re not rushing a three‑time MVP back just to win a random January game. The smart money is on early February, assuming the knee behaves.”

What this likely means in practice

  • Don’t expect him to suddenly jump to 35+ minutes; Nuggets will probably ease him in, monitor how the knee responds to contact, and then ramp up.
  • If there’s any setback in that re‑evaluation, the timeline could slip, so everything is still “probable,” not guaranteed.

So for the question “when will Jokic be back?” the best current answer is: he’s projected to be re‑checked in about a week, and a return in early February is possible but not officially locked in.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.