For the most part, Nikola Jokic leaves the coaching to Michael Malone.

He veered a bit Monday after playing in a scrimmage alongside four players penciled into Denver’s second unit: Russell Westbrook, Julian Strawther, Peyton Watson and Dario Saric. It might’ve been nothing more than a measure to make sure teams were evenly stacked, but Jokic offered a rare opinion on the rotations afterward.

“I think we should do that even in the game just to give teams different looks. I like it, just to play with somebody else,” Jokic said. “Why not?”

Previously, the answer to that question has come down to Malone’s desire to always have either Jokic or Jamal Murray on the court. To accomplish that, Malone would sub in the second-unit point guard for Murray in the middle of the first quarter. Murray would then return to the court for the final 3 minutes of the first quarter and stay out there for the first 3 minutes of the second quarter, while Jokic rested.

Murray would get another short break when Jokic returned for the final 9 minutes of the second quarter before they reunited to close the quarter.

“I put myself in his shoes at times,” Malone said of Murray.

“That’s a little bit choppy.”

Malone wasn’t showing his hand before Denver’s season opener Thursday against Oklahoma City, but he sounded more open to the idea of operating differently this season. In previous years, Murray staggering with the second unit was typically part of a nine-person rotation. If Malone wanted to ease the workload of his starters and use a 10-man rotation, it might allow for more experimentation.

“I’m not saying we’re going to do that again this year or not, but in the past when you take one of your starters out to get them back in, now it makes it really hard to play five guys off the bench if you’re bringing that one guy back,” Malone said. “We’ll see what’s best to start this season and how we’re playing and what we need. Obviously, we’ll determine all those rotations based upon that.”

If the preseason was any indication, Malone is comfortable playing Dario Saric, a new addition to the roster, alongside Jokic and in place of Jokic. Vlatko Cancar said Saric, a 30-year-old Croatian big man, could be the “Joker of the second unit.” Malone fought back on that notion, clarifying there’s only one Joker who’s capable of making everyone around him better at that level.

“When he’s out there, he’s just a great guy to play through and play off of,” Malone said. “What you love most about Nikola is his ability to make all those guys better.”

Heading into his 10th NBA season, Jokic stressed the difference of each iteration of the team. When asked whether he and the team had embraced the role as the hunter after a season as the hunted, Jokic acknowledged as much while offering a reminder.

“Yes, but it’s a different team,” Jokic said.

“Of course, everybody wants to win a championship. I think we’re going to have good energy, good chemistry going into this season.”

That chemistry could look different if rotations change. That’s ultimately Malone’s call. While most of Jokic’s minute in previous seasons have come alongside the starters with a split between Murray and the second-unit point guard, flexibility is a luxury afforded to Malone ahead of his 10th season coaching a one-of-a-kind player.

“Nikola’s got to be able to play with a lot of guys. We always laugh when everybody says ‘Well, this guy plays better with Nikola.’ Of course he does, but unfortunately not everybody can play with Nikola, because Nikola can’t play 48 minutes,” Malone said.

“At least, not to start the season.”