Nikola Jokic stated his plan is to remain with the Denver Nuggets for his entire career.
The three-time MVP is delaying contract extension talks until 2026 for financial reasons.
Jokic’s decision comes after significant offseason changes to the Nuggets’ roster and front office.
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The three-time NBA MVP met with reporters Monday, Sept. 29 for the first time since reportedly informing Nuggets officials he would wait to hold contract extension discussions with the team until 2026, after becoming eligible to sign a three-year, $212 million extension starting in July.
But the delay isn’t a sign that Jokic’s loyalty to Denver is wavering, despite speculation this offseason after significant front office, coaching and roster changes made by the Nuggets in the wake of last season’s playoff exit in the Western Conference semifinals. Jokic made that clear to reporters when asked about the situation during the team’s media day ahead of the start to training camp.
‘My plan is to be with Nuggets forever, so that’s my answer,’ Jokic said.
There is an important financial incentive to not signing until 2026. Jokic would be eligible to earn a four-year, $293-million extension next summer. He has three years left on his current max contract, which includes a player option for the 2027-28 season.
Nuggets owner Josh Kroenke said in July the team was ‘definitely’ going to offer Jokic the option to sign a max extension this past offseason but acknowledged he didn’t expect the 30-year-old would accept the offer. Kroenke also brought up the nightmare scenario of potentially trading Jokic given the constraints of the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement, which helped ignite the offseason conversation about his star.
The Nuggets retooled their roster around Jokic and point guard Jamal Murray ahead of this season by trading Michael Porter Jr. to the Brooklyn Nets for Cam Johnson, bringing back veteran role player Bruce Brown from the team’s 2023 NBA championship run, and adding veteran Jonas Valanciunas as Jokic’s backup.